A cheerful crossing guard

I saw a story on the news about this crossing guard who is always cheerful and happy to see people. It reminded me of some crossing guards who help people crossing the street by my apartment building as they also go out of their way to be cheerful. I think it’s really nice to see people making their jobs fun. Plus, I’m always happy seeing or hearing about people doing things that help others to feel happier. To  learn more about the aforementioned cheerful crossing guard click here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=809775206026184&id=83900655504&_rdr

I wish everyone the happiest of Sundays!

Don't know why

It's the singer Norah Jones's birthday and I'm writing about her because her music gives me a lot of peace. There's one song she sings called "Don't Know Why" which always makes me feel happy when I listen to it. There's something soothing about it that I like  Anyway, I hope it has the same effect on others.  I wish everyone the happiest of Saturdays.

A UPS driver who loves dogs

I saw this story online about a man who works for UPS and likes taking pictures with puppies on his mail route. Because I love dogs and they make me feel happy,  I felt a strong need to share his story here because the pictures are really sweet. To see them click here: https://mashable.com/article/ups-driver-selfie-dogs/#.6kTJ8makPq1.

I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays!

Born this way

It’s the singer Lady Gaga’s birthday and to celebrate it I thought I’d write about one of her songs called “Born this Way.” I like it because it’s all about accepting yourself and loving yourself  for who you are and knowing that your life adds value to the world. I just like how much it celebrates humanity. Anyway, I wish the happiest of birthdays to everyone who has a birthday today!

Elephants enjoy music too!

I saw this clip of a man who decided he would play the piano so an elephant could listen to some nice music. I’ve heard that elephants flap their ears to express excitement. If that is true, clearly the elephant in this video  really enjoyed listening to that man playing the piano. To me the clip shows how powerful music can be in that it can be enjoyed by other animals as well as people. To all who read this, I hope that wherever life takes you that your life always has music in it!

Thanks

Even baby seals like hugs

I saw this clip below of a baby seal who decided he wanted to hug a woman who was on vacation exploring the Arctic peninsula. I just thought it was really sweet to see that even seals like a cuddle now and then. Anyway, I post this video here to send love to everyone (including seals)!

3 things everyone can have

"Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness."-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I like this quote because I feel like love, prayer and forgiveness are some of the best things everyone can give. In that spirit, I send my love to all who read this with a prayer that you have many happy days. I wish everyone a very happy Monday. 

There is nothing like a dream

"There is nothing like a dream to create the future." -Victor Hugo

I like dreams and have so many of them. Sometimes I think it's dreams that keep me going. It's not so much that I dwell on them but they do give me ideas as to the things I can do and where I can go next. . Dreams have helped me through so many things. For example I dreamed previously that I'd write and do things that help people and that's something that I continue to do. One thing I hope for everyone is that people have dreams and pursue them. To all who read this I wish you the very best of luck with your dreams and I hope that many of them become realities.

Haka

I saw a story about some students in New Zealand who performed a traditional Maori dance called the Haka to show support for the victims and families of the victims of the recent shooting in Christchurch. Watching them dance was so beautiful to me because it shows how dance can be used to show support and love in times of great need. I love dancing and to see so many people use dance in this way, even in the face of such tragedy was really lovely.  To all those impacted by the New Zealand I am thinking of you and I send you much love.

Leaning towards the sunlight

"I was a vegetarian until I started leaning toward the sunlight."-Rita Rudner
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/rita_rudner_108376

I'm seriously thinking of going vegetarian. I haven't taken the plunge yet but I feel like it's the thought that counts. Anyway, aside from the fact that I think this quote is funny, I do like the idea of leaning towards the sun because  leaning towards it (even if I get sunburned) still makes me feel good! Happy Friday everyone!

Just because a little sweetness is nice....

I saw this video today and I thought it was really sweet. At any rate, it made me feel good inside. I hope it has the same effect on others. I wish everyone the happiest of Thursdays and an even happier Friday to come.

Happy Wednesday!

I’m writing to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Wednesday! We’ve made it half way through the week!  I also wish everyone an even happier Thursday to come!

Funny spell checkr poem

I saw this poem today and I thought it was funny and it reminds me of how much I must rely on spell check. Happy Tuesday everyone!

I halve a spelling checker,
It came with my pea see.
It plainly marks four my revue
Mistakes I dew knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait aweigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the era rite
Its rarely ever wrong.
I've scent this massage threw it,
And I'm shore your pleased too no
Its letter prefect in every weigh;
My checker tolled me sew.

Sending love

I realize this is a bit late in coming (but I guess it's better late than never as they say), however I want to take this opportunity to send a message to all Muslims in light of the recent attack in New Zealand. To all who read this I'm writing to send you much love and best wishes. I am thinking and praying for all of you and I wish you peace now and always.

An Irish blessing

As it's St. Patrick's day, here is a blessing for everyone: (Regardless of the faith/God aspect of this message, the point of posting the message here it is that I want to wish the best things for everyone) Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

I wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Source of the prayer quoted above: http://islandireland.com/Pages/folk/sets/bless.html 

An Irish joke

As it's almost St. Patrick's Day it got me thinking about an Irish joke I saw online and I thought it was funny (or at the very least for people who perpetually can't find parking spots, relatable!) Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! May the finding of parking spots be always in your favor!

An Irishman was flustered not being able to find a parking space in a large mall's parking lot.
"Lord,"he prayed,"I can't stand this.If you open a space up for me,I swear I'll give up drinking me whiskey, and I promise to go to church every Sunday."
Suddenly, the clouds parted and the sun shone on an empty parking spot. Without hesitation, the man said,"Never mind,I found one."


Source of joke: https://www.news.com.au/travel/the-ten-best-irish-jokes-on-the-internet/news-story/c763f5758b5c2783ad2e7185e2f76f05

Celebrating my sister's birthday

It's my sister's birthday and this got me thinking about how we celebrated her birthday one year when we were teenagers by going out with her friends and getting makeovers. I think this would probably have been the first time we'd been made up by professionals and it was a lot of fun. I just think it's nice to feel pretty whatever your age and I believe that we both felt especially pretty that day.  Anyway, I wish a very happy birthday and much love to my sister and to everyone who happens to be celebrating a birthday today!

Blessings

"Every burden is a blessing." -Walt Kelly

I really believe in blessings. Everything I've gone through in life (although it didn't feel like it at the time) has really been a blessing because it's shown me what I can do and even if things get difficult I know that I can get through things because I've gotten this far in life. It's not that I love difficulties, it's just that the difficult things in my life are made more bearable to me if I can find something good in them. For example, once when I was very ill, it was comforting to know that I had the support of my family and friends and I was confident that I'd get better eventually and I did. If you're reading this and you're going through something difficult, I hope that you can find something positive to focus on and do the best you can to keep focusing on that positive thing as it might help you feel better.  No matter what, I wish you the very best now and always.

A funny camel

As it’s Wednesday, or “hump day” as some people call it, I thought I’d share this video of a camel as it made me laugh. I hope it has the same effect on others! Regardless, I wish everyone a very happy Wednesday and an even happier Thursday to come!

Love to laugh

I was thinking about how I love to laugh and it got me thinking about this song from the movie Mary Poppins called "Love to Laugh." It's all about how good it feels to laugh and I loved watching the scene in the movie as a kid because it involves a guy spontaneously flying up to the ceiling, which is something I've kind of always wanted to do. It just seems like fun.  Anyway, I hope you can find at least one reason to laugh each day.

The best thing about being lost

“I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be.”- Douglas Adams
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/douglas_adams_385158

I’m quite good at getting lost, so much so that I often feel like I have to ad at least 20 minutes of “getting lost time” to trips I go on. In any case, even though I get lost I do find I get where I need to be, even if I got there in a roundabout way. Sometimes roundabout ways of getting places are mor fun anyway. For example, once when I got lost, I ended up close by some street performers that I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to watch if I hadn’t gotten lost. Ultimately I did find the way to get where I originally wanted to go but it was lovely that I had time to get lost and be able to see something nice while I was at it! Wherever your life takes you, I hope that if you ever feel lost, that you can still find something good that you might have missed if you hadn’t gotten lost!

I wish everyone a very happy Monday and an even happier Tuesday to come!  

The Adventure of Life

I heard this piece of music today called “The Adventure of Life”. The music is from the soundtrack for the TV Show “Call the Midwife.” I like the music because it’s pretty and because it reminds me of how life can bring so many adventures both large and small. Wherever life takes you, I hope you have many fun adventures!

Just feels good

I heard this song today called "Just Feels Good" and I liked it because to me it's all about making time to do the things that make you feel happiest. To all who read this, I hope  (as long as it does no harm to yourself or others) that you do something each day that brings you some happiness. I wish you peace now and always.

"The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others."- Vincent Van Gogh
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/vincent_van_gogh_150783

I've always liked art whether it's music, paintings, drawings, dance or performance of some kind, it always makes me happy to see it. This quote really spoke to me because to me love really is like an art. It's complex and beautiful and very moving all at once. I saw the painting below in a museum and it seems to exemplify everything I like about art and I like to think that it was painted with much love. Anyway, I share it here to send love to everyone.

Happy Thursday!

I’m writing to send much love and best wishes to all who read this. I wish you a very happy Thursday and an even happier Friday!

A light for tomorrow

"Light tomorrow with today!" -Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/elizabeth_barrett_brownin_163983

One thing I'm working on doing each day is to think of things that are happy in each day that I can hold in my mind to the next day.  Starting off each day thinking of something happy is really helpful to me because it shows me how good things and feelings can last and lead to more good things and feelings. So for today, the good feeling I'm taking to tomorrow is that I had practice with the acapella chorus I'm part of and it always makes me happy to sing. I wish everyone the happiest of Wednesdays!

Blessings can come from the unlikeliest of places

"You never know where a blessing can come from."-Teena Marie

It never ceases to impress me how many good things can be found in each day. Like today for example, it was lovely to take the bus home with one of my coworkers who is also a really good friend. We had some time to chat and it was a blessing because it's nice to travel with a friend and it's always nice to be able to chat with them. To everyone who reads this, I hope wherever your day took you, that you were able to find something  in your day that made you feel really good.

It's another Monday and yet another opportunity for something special!

"Hey I know it’s Monday but it’s also a new day, a new week, and in that lies a new opportunity for something special to happen." -Michael Ely

One thing I like best about each day is that there's always a chance that something nice can happen.  I think that idea is especially true of Mondays because it's the beginning of the week and it means that there's 7 more days ahead with the potential to have great things happen! Today, something special that happened is that I'm about to go off to a boxing for fitness class at the Y.  It's something special because it's something I've never done before. Anyway, I wish everyone a very happy Monday!

The worst mistake you can make

"I've got to keep breathing. It'll be my worst business mistake if I don't."- Steve Martin
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/steve_martin_162977

When in doubt, just keep breathing!

A profound interest

The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well. Horace Walpole
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/horace_walpole_101235

I've always found writing to be something I'm interested in and it really has helped me learn about so many new things.  I don't think I'd have kept writing this blog as long as I have if there wasn't always something more for me to explore in the hope it might help someone else. One thing I hope for everyone is that everyone can find an interest in something and use it to find a lot of joy and more things to learn. I wish everyone the happiest of Saturdays.

In the Mood

The trombonist and band leader Glenn Miller was born today in 1904. He is famous for recording a song called "In the Mood" and as it always makes me happy to hear it. I share it here because to me, for whatever reason, Fridays always seem like the best days to play jazz music. Happy Friday everyone!