Happiness

Smiley face cookies always make me happy.

Today I would like to reflect on happiness. Happiness, according to Merriam-Webster, is 'a state of well-being and contentment: joy'. There are many ways to experience happiness.

A wet dog nose on my cheek makes me smile.

Waking up to a cold nose and a wet puppy kiss is a wonderful start to the day. Raising the blinds in my room, I see the bright blue sky and a palm tree gently swaying in the breeze. A large black crow may fly by causing the dogs to get stirred into a frenzy.

Walking in nature is peaceful.

Being in nature is another way I experience complete happiness. Some of my favorite walks are in solitude along a stream while listening to a great playlist on my phone. I reach a point where I don't even realize I am walking. Nature overtakes me entirely and I just smile, swing my arms, and look at the trees and birds while taking in any natural smells that come my way.

A red Walkman for portable tunes.

Ever since the invention of the Walkman, portable music players and earphones have meant that I can listen to music wherever and whenever I want. My musical taste might have changed but my passion for music certainly has not. Good tunes will always brighten my day.

A view of Lake Michigan

Sailing or simply being on a boat fills me with happiness. There is something about being on the open water that releases the tensions pent up inside of me. I love all kinds of boats and water. Growing up on Lake Michigan, water was a major part of my life.

Swimming in the ice-cold water of Lake Michigan in late June is a right of passage for anyone who lives on the lake. Believe it or not, but this also makes me happy! The water is in the 50's and it just sparkles. This is not Caribbean water by any means, but you can still see down to the sandy and rocky bottom.

Being on Lake Michigan makes me nostalgic for my childhood. I have many fond memories of my summers on the lake. I remember when I was little, we would get a piece of bologna from home and bring it to the beach.

We would craft our own fishing rods out of driftwood and twine taken from our mother's kitchens. Tying a knot around the drift wood, we would then use another knot to secure a small piece of bologna to the end.

Laying on our bellies on the concrete pier, a group of little girls and boys, we would stare intently down into the water to see if we could lure our prey. While our father's were after white fish and lake trout, we kids were after crayfish. Those little lobster looking creatures would pinch like hell if they had a chance!

Playing in the sand.

Each of us would have sand pails handy with fresh water. We would catch as many as we could before the bologna was gone. Then, we would compare our loads to see who among us had the most crayfish, and who had the largest. At the end of the day we would pour them all back into the lake and look forward to the next days catch.

Today when I visit the beach, it is a new generation of youth who could be on their gaming devices or parents phones. Instead, they too have their makeshift line and lures, their sand buckets filled with lake water, and their bellies lined up on the pier searching for their catch.

I am blessed to have both the memories from my childhood and the opportunity to watch others make their own memories.

Maisie and Winston watching me watch the sunset.

And the dogs? Well, the dogs are one of the happiest parts of my life right now. My children are making their own memories. They do not need me nearly as much as they did when they were little. My husband has his own interests to tend to as well. This gives me hours to love, dote on, walk and cuddle with Maisie and Winston.

Yes indeed, my life is truly happy.