identify 100 things that make me happy.

As my kids have grown and made it through their teen years I have strong feelings about this one. When my children were young I felt like a king. What a wonderful joy to open the door after a long day at work and making it through rush hour traffic to have three crazy kids (2 girls, one boy) attack me and give me hugs and telling me about their day. Wrestling in the living room, singing after dinner, and even saying “Hail to the Redskins” instead of Amen after saying grace (sometimes a little embarrassing at church socials, but that’s another story), telling bedtime stories, raiding the refrigerator for midnight snacks. My kids have always been very well behaved, likable, and caring people, my wife and I are very proud of them. Now that they are in their 20’s I have a smaller role in their lives. They are off with friends and school and work and to their credit they are doing well.
Just last week I watched my oldest get inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I am confident there will be more celebrations in the future, but I do kinda miss those days of their childhood. If you have kids, relish every dirty diaper and every runny nose for one day you will look up and they will be graduating high school, or moving off with friends. Steal as many hugs and kisses that you can and take as many embarrassing pics of them sleeping with teddy bears and dirty faces. These, you will be able to cherish always.

Mom and Dad’s want the best for their kids and I am grateful for everything mine have done for me. The important part about being a son is recognizing the examples that my parents set for me from how to treat all kinds of people, to how to handle money, to being responsible, and to plan for the future, then use these examples in my life.

Now that we are all older, I feel like I want to cherish my time with them. Spend more quality time with them and have actual conversations, really listen when I ask, “How are ya Doin’,” . Be entertained by fond memories that I have heard hundreds and hundreds of times. Tell them that I love them more times than I need to and give them that extra squeeze each time we say goodbye.

I have two younger brothers and I have a lot of great memories growing up bossing them around. Ha!! Actually, we got along very well and there are a lot of things we talk about that still bring tons of laughter and a few sheepish smiles. Now that we are older and have other things in life with many responsibilities it is always an effort to try to find the time to get together, but we do and make what little time we have as enjoyable as possible.

Although I believe that it is the people that reside in a house that make it a home a home is also about the environment that we choose to live in. Surrounding myself with family photos, listening to my kind of music, reading a book, tending to one of my gardens, working on a hobby, or taking an unplanned afternoon nap in my favorite chair, watching the fish in one of my 10 aquariums, smile to myself as our guinea pigs sing to my wife while she chops veggies. It is all good. Peace.

Life is so precious and our time on this rock is so short, I get really upset when I waste it or have it wasted by standing in lines that I shouldn’t have to. My biggest thing I despise about wasting life is watching the infernal boob tube. If people understood how much of their life is pissed away by sitting in front of that idiot box they would take that thing and throw it out the window. Big breath here… ok I have found that the more I seek alternative ways to entertain myself the less time I find that I waste. I don’t care if it is reading, sitting on the porch watching the clouds race, working on my car, talking to the neighbors, sweeping the kitchen, helping the elderly, or feeding the fish there is peace and satisfaction in all these things. Life is good when you are living it. Peace.

The next stranger you smile at might be me! I hope I return it.

Whether it is during a 5 mile hike, mowing the grass, or fishing on the lake, a good sweat is about the healthiest thing your body can do. Plus, once your clothes are soaked you know you have been working hard.

People who live in the country will not appreciate this, put let me tell you getting into the hills away from all that is man and taking a deep, deep breathe can almost be a religious experience for me. I work in a large metropolitan area in a 60 year old Government building with no windows and too many bureaucrats, and more computers than a Best Buy warehouse!! When I can get away I like to take long hikes in our National and State Park systems. Anyway, a deep breathe of fresh country air is cleansing both to my insides and my state of mind.

It doesn’t matter who is singing or what instrument is playing… but when I hear a song that makes my feet tap, alters my driving, or find myself singing it 2 hours later, or just lifts me up, that’s nice.

There are so many things in this world that I want to know. I get no greater satisfaction than seeking the answer to something I have no clue about. The longer it takes, the more satisfaction knowing the answer brings. Even small things like realizing I have pronounced omnipotent wrong all my life brings satisfaction, along with a taste of humble pie.