Some things that make me happy

I've been on a sort of quest the past few months to find real peace of mind. It's been a struggle, what with all the negativity and hate-mongering out there in the world. But I've persevered, because I want to BE happy. So, with that in mind, I have compiled a partial list of the things that always bring me joy:

1. Seeing/hearing birds. There's something almost mystical about birds in the wild. They neither toil, nor spin, and take no care for tomorrow...they just bopp around having a good ol' time. This is one reason I've taking up bird watching as a serious hobby...to learn from them how to increase my joy.
2. Petting my cats. True story--researchers at the Minnesota Stroke Institute found that the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke was increased by 40% for people who have never had cats. Wellllll, it's good to know they're good for something besides disemboweling rodents.
3. Looking at pictures of my kids when they were babies. My, how time flies...seeing those round little faces always makes me smile.
4. I love hanging out with my kids. They're amazing. Now that they're all grown up, it's wonderful to still be involved in their lives, in a different way. We're friends. We talk.
5. Having a new recipe turn out really well. What a fun surprise. I don't cook as often as I should, I suppose...but when I do make the effort and test drive a new recipe, it's gratifying to have the family enjoy it well enough to put it into regular rotation.
6. Finding a great bargain. Since I do my shopping almost exclusively at the Thrift Shop, a "bargain" is a relative term. Occasionally I find the HOLY GRAIL...a brand new, name brand item with the original tags in my size. Latest acquisition--a pair of new Levi's 506 jeans for $8. It's better than winning the lottery!!
7. Catching up with old friends. I have a few people in my life I have known for over 30 years and a couple for over 40! It's wonderful to hear from them and find out what they're up to.
8. Going to church. Don't laugh. I LOVE my church. I look forward to Sunday each week. It's the best way I know to end the week...or start the week, depending on how you look at it.

I've figured out one thing. I will share it with you: happiness is a conscious choice. No one and no thing is going to MAKE you happy...it all comes from within. I got tired of waiting around for things to be right so I could start being happy...I decided to go on and be happy now and then work on getting everything else straightened out. And hey! If things don't get straightened out....no problem, I'm still happy!!