Christina at Soul Aperture http://soulaperture.blogspot.com/ is hosting the simple things that make us happy on July 8th. I am posting early. Thank you Christina for your constant inspiration, it means the world to me.

All the simple things that bring joy, add to a monumental thing called life. I love that life is made up of all the simple things that bring pleasure and joy. I am loving the extra time that I am getting to spend reading in the gazebo. The gazebo is surrounded by flowers in full bloom, trees, bird feeders with a large amount of birds and squirrels visiting. I love to be in nature, watching the sunset with all of my senses engaged to the world around me. I love every evening sitting in nature reading, contemplating, and sharing some time with a stray cat that I have been feeding for several weeks now. She is a black and white tuxedo cat and she will sit in the grass in the fading sun while I read, she naps, stretches lazily, naps again, but at the same time she seems to be keenly aware of everything going on around her. I am abundantly thankful for the precious, fun life I have been given.

This morning my alarm clock was the sun tickling my face softly with it's warm rays as I slowly woke up, smiling. I love waking up naturally like this. I lay in bed watching the tree limbs laden with green leaves sway in the breeze making sunlight dance across the ceiling and walls. Then after I was fully awake I had some cereal with soy milk, a half cup of blueberries, and a banana. I ate this while writing in my journal and listening to the WAH! cd. I feel a balance in my life that I want to sustain not just while I am off from work, but maintain this in the long term. This balance, cohesion, and synchronicity comes from my core, the core of my being - I can feel it that strongly. I feel anchored and grounded yet I feel a vibrant flow coursing through me. I love this feeling. This balance is not temporary, I am not limiting myself, this will be a lasting aspect of my life. I am abundantly thankful.

Yesterday I thought endlessly of my elderly cousin who is now in her mid 80s. She talks about the past, her past, a lot, almost living there and it makes me sad. I can't define the sadness, if it is for her because she is stuck there, or if thinking that one day that could be me sitting there talking about the glory days of the past, my past, when I'm well into my 80 years of life. Anyway, I had to purge these thoughts out in this poem.

She gazes at her
Gnarled past sitting
On the table; quick glances
Is all she can take, steal;
She used to think of it
As a ribbon, stretched out, smooth,
Thrown carelessly onto
A surface, curves and
Elegant folds, twists
After decades now she
Sees rough knots curled
Onto one another
Zigzag roads end abruptly
Only to eventually begin again
Then just in another direction
Others long, drawn out
Then giving way to a different path
Knobby contorted choices made,
Decisions led back to its source
Herself.

Thank you Christina, at Soul Aperture, http://soulaperture.blogspot.com/ for your wonderful idea of posting what makes us happy and grateful. There are so many things that make me happy and grateful. As I was writing and thinking about this topic I noticed that most of the things that make me happy are non material items. I love that and want to make sure that I live my life more from my heart and soul, rather than a materialistic aspect. I look forward to reading every one's ideas.
I am happy and grateful for:

this glorious life I have been given to live

God

parents

friends - L, R, M, C, J, G, J, R

memories of my cat, Maya, who passed a few months back

writing poetry

writing short stories

reading

praying

authenticity

honesty/truth

meditating

art

talks on the phone with friends late into the night (haven't done this in a long time, but still love it)

laughing and laughter

listening to music - I'm really loving Natasha Beddingfield, Wah!, Norah Jones, some other Sanskrit cds, Cold Play, the list could go on and on about the music that makes me happy

teaching 5 year old children

children

laughter of children and their carefree spirits and ideas

laughing

soy peppermint mochas and hazelnut lattes

reading on a rainy day

reading in the sunshine

everyday in nature

sitting in the gazebo watching the sunset

hearing bird's song

watching birds fly, soaring free in the blue sky

feeling the breeze on my face

feeling the sun warm my face

sitting in a window when it is a winter day with the sun warming me

hot chocolate

walking barefoot in the grass

feeling the dew on my bare feet

sand on bare feet

the beach

painting

painting a canvas full of vibrant colors

dancing

chai tea

in bookstores, finding a comfy seat, a good book, and good latte

autumn/fall

Sunday afternoons

soup

Rumi poems

the mountains

staying up late

sleeping late

curling up with a good book or my journal in a blanket on a rainy, cool day

walking in nature

Mexican food, any food that is hot, salty, and spicy

peaches, pears, clementines

going to parks and walking the wooded trails, being in nature

sitting in my gazebo at dusk in the summer with candles going, their scent mixing with the scent of nature is yummy

learning new things daily

open to new possibilities and experiences that expand horizons

traveling on the path, the journey of my life, embracing all that comes my way

smiling

sunlight glittering off the green leaves of spring and summer

antique browsing and antique shopping, knowing each object has a history - interesting and intriguing

delving into getting to know myself daily, this is an ongoing process that never ceases

popcorn, chips, and salsa

animals

architecture

old houses

gardens and botanical gardens

the scent Warm Vanilla Sugar from Bath and Body Works

Japanese maple trees, especially in the fall

flowers: especially lilies - bright fiery orange lilies, lotus, jonquils, buttercups, daisies, sunflowers, and jasmine

the scent of lavender

Vincent Van Gogh's paintings

Italian Renaissance art and architecture

apricot jam

the smell of rain

smell of burning leaves in the autumn

stationary, pens, pencils, crayons, that new smell of them all

hearing children read for the first time, stringing slowly that first sentence, connecting it then realizing they have read, so rewarding

manicures and pedicures

horses

optimistic people

jazz music of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, the flapper era - I think that is a time when a lot of people found their creative nature and let those talents shine - a very carefree bohemian time in history

From making this list of the things that make me happy, I find it is the simple things that do bring me happiness and joy. Once we know our true nature, what makes our heart's sing with happiness and joy, our true self, our true heart and soul, what lies in us that surpasses, our body, mind, emotions, feelings, in finding the essence of who we are, this will allow us to have lasting happiness and ultimate joy.

Love, peace, joy, light, happiness, and truth to all!

Out of the cosmic
Womb of God
Is birthed
Light and love,
Peace and compassion -
From God, creator
Of all things

In the womb of
Creativity
We soar
Out of the
Light of
God's cosmic
Creation,
His body of
Word and knowledge

After a hard workout,
Blood pumping vibrantly
Hot through my veins,
Sweat coating my face
I smile and feel
Gratefully alive
Filled with joy

I invited the night
Full of stars
To dance through
My window
Serenading me
With the first
Song of insects
All senses accosted
As I smell
The burst
Of flower's
Bloom
Tasting it's
Sweet nectar
On my lips

Every day is fantastic, but I had an especially marvelous day yesterday, actually an overall marvelous weekend. I usually don't use the word marvelous, but the day was just that. There is nothing like spending time outside in nature! My mother and I planted banana pepper plants that will give us peppers in about 6-8 weeks. Having my hands in the dirt, digging, planting, watering the newly planted peppers and other flowers, being accousted by all of nature was intoxicating. Every year around this time there is also a jazz festival in our town. I live close to the downtown area so I could hear the jazz music while I planted. The sun was glistening off freshly green leaves of trees, the grass shimmered, swayed, and danced in the spring breeze. The only way I could describe my day in the sun, in nature, working with the flowers and plants was that I was blissed out last night. I could not focus on anything I was so light headed, dreamy, peaceful, full of love, happiness, peace, and compassion, and one with myself. I felt the fusion of my mind, body, and spirit.

When I felt this melding of mind, body, heart, soul, spirit, I thought again of how we are always whole, always connected to one another, connected to all living things, to all things, but there are only glimpses in which we recognize this truth. I want to hold onto the knowing, the truth of this, cherish this knowledge, revere, and respect, it, hold it gently to my heart, then release, sending it out to everyone. When I think of this, I have a vision of myself capturing something like star dust, cupping it in my hand, then blowing, seeing the star dust, float on the breeze, spreading to everything, scattering peace, love, and compassion.