I can be a bit of an old grump sometimes so its important for me to remember that life is basically good. That's particularly true when things are sad or bad of course, but also when I'm just too busy to stop and notice that - despite the headlines to the contrary - 'now' is actually pretty cool.
I've dabbled with 'happy lists', and a happiness diary, on and off for a few years now. I'm pretty hopeless at keeping up any sort of diary but I've noticed that, regardless of what is going on in my life, I feel better when I make my lists. Taking time to pause and be grateful for the good stuff is food for the soul it seems. Who knew? (Quite a lot of people actually - Gretchen Rubin writes far more eloquently on the happy value of diaries here).
Well I'm all for a bit of soul food so here goes the first of a weekly reminder to myself to savour the happy.
This weeks happiness:
1. The Boy's laughter. In fact, my boys - father and son - laughing together is pretty much happiness cubed (I'd say squared but its not quite enough). Too cheesy? Too bad - it lights up my world.
2. Crisp autumn days. They always give me a shade of the buzz that I used to get at the start of a new term at uni. Only without the hangover these days.
3. A rearranged bedroom so I can sit at a chair to work (little things eh?)
4. A kind and talented friend who gave up a precious Saturday afternoon to take pictures, of me and The Boy playing in the park, which I know I will cherish for years to come.