Things that make me smile

In this companion to last night's post, "Catching up," (or "Things that Bum Me Out"), I thought I'd share some things I'd been thinking about today. All told, I'm a fairly simple person. I want what everyone wants: Freedom, to love and to be loved, to be secure, and to be content. Not happy, content. To me, happiness is an emotion and contentment is a lifestyle you choose to live, even when your co-worker accidently wears your shoes home and you have to walk across scorching hot pavement and drive home in your socks (guess what happened to me today? :). It's a choice to keep laughing (or at least keep walking) when life piles one thing after another on your crap sandwich of a day.

I've found, with all that I have and all that I do, it's simplicity that really makes life worth living. Here are some things that make me walk away smiling. Feel free to add your own!

-Thunderstorms
-Laughter, especially children
-My phone ringing (even if I don't answer it, I smile because someone somewhere thought of me at that moment)
-Stars
-Crisp air
-Bubbles
-Coffee
-Peanut Butter
-Hugs with momentum (sometimes they get a running start from across the lobby :)
-Fitting in a plane seat the first (and second, and third, and fourth) times in my life
-My friends' voices
-A hymn in harmony
-Lightning bugs
-Memories
-Seeing my friends happy
-My hammock
-Laying in my hammock balanced under 3 dogs
-E-mail
-Text messages for no real reason
-Daydreaming
-Dancing like nobody's watching (and hopefully they're not ;)
-A glass of wine
-Pajamas
-Being a part of something
-Fresh air
-Hugs with momentum (sometimes they get a running start...)
-Little heads on my shoulder
-Little arms around my neck (or knees... whatever they can reach)
-Little voices saying my name
-Little victories

Smiling yet? Today I'm tired and grouchy and a little stressed out, but I wanted to turn the tide by counting my blessings, and a long day got a little more golden.