Coming home happiness

I saw this clip of a monkey being reunited with their family. It was so nice to see how happy the animals were to be back together again. It made me think of how good it feels to be back with my family when I go to visit them. All I know is that it really is lovely being home and with people that love you.

Some soothing music for a Friday

I wanted something soothing to listen to on my way home today and I found this short piece of piano music that I thought was really pretty and made me feel good inside. I share it here in the hope it has the same effect on others.  I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays.

Keep going

Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down. -Charles Kettering

If there’s some good thing that you want to do, I hope you keep working towards that goal and I’m rooting for you. I send you best wishes now and always.

A window to the world

I saw this story about a boy who cannot go outside his house as he’s recovering from a transplant. Despite his current inability to go outside, the world has apparently come to him through neighbors, performers and friends coming to visit him outside his window. I really liked this story as it shows how good people can be to each other. I’ve enclosed the clip below with the story for all those interested. I send best wishes to everyone now and always.

Poem for the day

I saw this short poem, or perhaps it's part of a longer poem but anyway, I really liked it and thought I'd share it here. It reminds me that if there's something I want to do that helps someone, even if there's a risk involved, there's also a chance for success.


“There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask "What if I fall?"
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?”
-Erin Hanson

As you are

I heard this song today called "As You Are" and I share it here as a way of sending a little more love out to the world. To whoever reads this and needs to hear it, please know that I love you just as you are.

Gesse apparently need groceries too

I was going into the grocery store and in the parking lot I saw this goose walking around an because I like nature and animals general, it made me smile to see it. Apparently geese need groceries too.

I send best wishes to everyone (including the geese), now and always.

Just a short note...

This is just a short note to wish a very happy Saturday to all who read this. I send you best wishes and much love now and always.

A cheer for a Friday

Since I'm excited that it's Friday, I thought this cheer, I mean joke, was applicable. I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays!


What do we want?!!! Low-flying airplane noises!!!!

When do we want them? NNNNNEEEEOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

A beautiful sunset

I was walking past a pond in Melrose when I saw this sunset and thought it was really beautiful. Since I believe beautiful things like sunset are made all the better when they are shared, I thought I'd bring the sunset to you in this blog. I like to think that at some point we all are living under the same sun, moon and stars and in that way we are all united. Anyway, I send best wishes to everyone now and always.

Never be in a hurry

"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." St. Francis de Sales

I like this quote because it reminds me of things I'd like to improve on. I think even when things seem ever so serious, as long as I can take a step back for just a moment and think about what I need to do, situations I need to deal with seem a lot more manageable. If you're going through something difficult, I hope that you can find a sense of peace in the midst of your trouble. I send you much love now and always.

be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. Saint Francis de Sales
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/saint_francis_de_sales_131350

Happy Tuesday

I wish everyone a very happy Tuesday and an even better Wednesday to come. I wish you much love now and always.

Life as an adventure

“Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller

 There's something nice about thinking of life as an adventure. Sometimes when I go through difficulties I like thinking that I've come through a lot and it means that I can face what comes next. I figure as long as I have people around me to love and be loved by, the adventure is always worth it. Wherever you are reading this I hope that life leads you through many adventures and I wish you much love now and always. 

A day with napping potential

"You know what Sunday is, it’s a day with a lot of potential for naps.” – Polly Horvath

It's said that Sunday is a day for rest and so that got me thinking about naps. It's funny because when I was really young and nap time was a designated part of the day, I remember I used to hate it because I wanted to be up and about and doing the more exciting things grownups were doing. Now I'm a bit older having a nap often seems like a rather nice idea. I figure everything seems better when one is well rested.  Wherever you are reading this, I hope you have that you allow yourself time to rest today.

British Food I like

Just for the heck of it I thought I'd share a list of some foods from the UK that I like. Although these foods may not be the most nutrient-rich, I think they still taste nice and as long as I eat them in small doses, I eat them without guilt. However, I feel like the real reason I like them is because they remind me of my family and lovely trips I've had with my family to England to visit grandparents and relatives there. Anyway, so here's the list:

• Jaffa cakes: They're these lovely biscuits (cookies to you Yanks!) and they have chocolate on top and orange filling in the middle so eating them is sort of like a nice surprise taste-wise. 
• Ice creams with flakes. When I was really young my parents would take me and my sister and brother to a playground not far from the house where my grandparents lived and there was this ice cream truck that seemed to always be there and my mum and dad would get us all vanilla ice creams with flakes which are basically fat sticks of chocolate shavings which are super good.
• Ploughman's lunch. It's basically a salad plate (sometimes served on a cutting board) with lettuce, ham or perhaps lamb, tomatoes, cheese, fruit bread and pickles. (More on the pickles in a bit.)-I like ploughman's lunch because it makes me think of what people ate historically when they farmed. I always liked learning more about history. 
• Cadbury Chocolate: My mum once took my siblings and I to a Cadbury Chocolate Factory and although it may have made our stomachs ache, it was pretty fun to see how different types of chocolates are made. 
• Scotch egg: They are basically a hard boiled egg, surrounded by ham and the whole thing is breaded. It just tastes good to me. 
• Branston Pickle-This is a type of pickle relish. It is an acquired taste but it's really good with cheese and I like it! 
• Fish & Chips-this is so stereotypically British but I still like it. 
• Fruit Pastilles-They're sort off like gumdrops but better. My grandpa used to take me with him to the village shop to get a newspaper for his neighbor who was housebound. At the shop he'd allow me to pick out 1 sweet (candy) to take home with us. For whatever reason I usually picked fruit Pastilles so now when I think of them I think of my grandpa. 
• Lemon barley water. It's basically a mix that you put in cold water and tastes like lemonade. It's very refreshing on a hot day. 
• Custard-you can eat it hot or cold. Somehow I think it's better hot but I digress. Anyway, my grandma used to put it on most of her desserts and despite my best efforts I've never quite been able to truly replicate the custard she made but maybe sometime I'll get it right!

A Funny video for a Friday

As it’s Friday (and because I think Fridays are days for a little silliness), I thought I’d share the video below because it made me laugh. I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays!

Life is wonderful

I heard this song by Jason Mraz called "Life is Wonderful" I liked it because it talks about how you have to go through difficulties to really appreciate the good things in life, like love. Love is the best thing there is and it's worth any struggle.  Anyway, listening to this song made me feel good inside and out. Wherever you're reading this, I hope you experience all the wonderful things life has to offer, especially love. To that end, I send you much love now and always.

A wish to spare you from evil things

"May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house." -George Carlin

I post this quote here with a simple wish that no evil comes your way and if it tries to do so, it gets lost! I send you best wishes now and always.

y the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/george_carlin_108916

Strangers can make people feel happier

I was just reading a really interesting article about how scientific studies have proven that interacting with strangers can help people feel better. The study found that people feel happier when they interact more with people around them, even if the people around them are strangers. There's just something about interacting that helps people feel better. I like to think this is because we're all connected in some way and as such, people need to strengthen that connection with each other to feel better.  In the spirit of making a virtual connection, I send best wishes and much love to all who read this.

If you want to read more about the study I described, follow this link. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-surprising-boost-you-get-from-strangers-11557567000?shareToken=st297cda154e814cdca066e361a4e13800&mod=djmc_pktff

Making history while overcoming the past

I saw this clip of the gymnast Simone Biles making history by winning her 6th National Gymnastics Title by landing a triple double (2 flips and three twists in a floor exercise). She also performed a double-double dismount on the balance beam (2 twists and 2 flips in midair). It was really cool to watch her performance because she has overcome so much adversity. I'm really glad that she won all those 6 titles and the things people will remember he most for is that she has made history and is a brilliant gymnast. It shows me that no matter what happened in your past, it doesn't define your future and so many great things are possible as long as you're willing to work towards them and not stop until your goal is reached.  To all who read this, whatever goal you are working towards, I wish you every success in your work and I send you best wishes now and always.

Here and now

"The time to be happy is now, and the place to be happy is here."-Robert Green Ingersoll

For me, there's something nice about knowing that there's a possibility for happiness wherever you are even if that possibility seems dim, it's still there. For me, looking for that happiness has helped make a lot of difficult situations feel better. I may not always have found that happiness but when I have found it,  At the very least, it gives me hope that things will get better. Wherever you are reading this, I hope that you search for and find happiness wherever you are.

Accessible music

I just saw a story of a woman named Gaelynn Lea who plays the violin and uses the songs she write not just to entertain people but also to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. Gaelynn  has a brittle bone disease called osteogenesis imperfecta and has learned to play the violin as if it were a cello, as the violin is too long for her to rest it on her shoulder.  Her music really is beautiful and it makes me think of how music can be a force for change. Plus I really like her message that if you really want to do something you can always find a way to do it. To learn more about Gaelynn Lee watch the clip below.

Something to remember

"Just remember, you can do anything you set your mind to, but it takes action, perseverance, and facing your fears." -Gillian Anderson

One thing I like about people is that they can get through so many things and do so many great things. If there is something good that you want to do, I hope that you pursue it. Whatever good thing it is you want to do, I wish you every success now and always. 

ust remember, you can do anything you set your mind to, but it takes action, perseverance, and facing your fears
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/gillian_anderson_129691

Best friend

I heard this song by the singer Jason Mraz called "Best Friend" and it made me think of all the people who are my friends and how my life is better because they are all a part of my life. They really are the best.  To all who read this, I hope that you have people in your life that show you lots of love. I for one, send you much love now and always.

Advice from a left-handed person for when you feel things are less than great

"When nothing is going right, go left"-Anonymous

As I'm left-handed person, I'm a firm advocate for going left, if only because I sometimes feel like being right is overrated.  I send everyone best wishes now and always.

Love yourself

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. Your really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."-Lucille Ball

I'm all about the love and I'm working on loving myself more because I figure the more love I create for myself, the more love I can give to others.  One thing I do each day that in many ways shows some love to myself is writing this blog because it does give me a lot of happiness.  To whoever reads this, I hope each day you do something that makes you feel happiest.

To all who read this

To everyone who reads this, I wish you a day filled with many kind people, loads of smiles and many unexpected blessings. 

 

Summertime

The singer Louis Armstrong was born today in 1901 and as it's summertime it got me thinking about how he sang a song called Summertime with Ella Fitzgerald. I just think the way those two people sang that song is so beautiful and does make me think of hot summer days and just enjoying time with family and friends. Wherever you're reading this,  I hope this summer day finds you well.

Beauty Advice

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."- Audrey Hepburn

I really liked this quote because it speaks to how to find true beauty inside oneself and how there is so much beauty in all of us.  Wherever you are reading this, I hope that you see the beauty in yourself and let it shine for everyone to see.

The key to happiness

 "The thing everyone should realize is that the key to happiness is being happy by yourself and for yourself."- Ellen DeGeneres

Whether you are reading this by yourself or with others, I hope that you find many reasons to feel happy and in that spirit, I wish you the happiest of Fridays!

Beauty in happiness

"There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness"-Maria Mitchell

Sometimes I find myself thinking that a certain picture or flower or person couldn't be more beautiful and yet, when I feel particularly happy, everything seems more beautiful and brighter than before.  I guess this speaks to the idea that at least to me, happiness makes everything feel better.  Wherever you are reading this, whenever you feel happy, I hope that that happiness helps make your world seem even better than it was before.  I send everyone best wishes now and always.