Silver Lining

Happiness, true happiness, makes my soul flurry with excitement and dance with glee.  I've had a tough time lately with a Cerebral Spinal Fluid leak keeping me on bed rest - almost in my 4th month.  I have a very positive outlook which keeps my eye on the prize, recovery and enjoying the outdoors again.  To let you in on a secret, yes, I am "Happy Julie," accomplished because of my faith, family, friends and beloved pup Stella. 

Stella, The Grand-pup!

Please Don't Leave Grandpa!!

What I'd like to tell you about now is the happiness I find, in each day, right now.  Sure, it's a little dreary, black out curtains, and only able to get up to use the restroom and let the dog out and get a drink.  I always say...there is a silver lining in every situation. It may be tarnished but it's there.  My silver lining is obvious, consistent and loves me unconditionally - my Dad.  He comes over at noon, on the nose, every day to make me lunch so I can stay in bed.  For almost 4 months now, my Dad and I have had one on one time just us and, of course Stella!  We talk and I've opened up in ways I never had done before with my Dad.  I never chattered and babbled assuming he didn't want to hear it.  I even apologized and he said, "Did it ever occur to you, I would like to hear you 'chatter?'  I don't know if he'll ever know what that meant to me.  He's had to listen to me cry, hand me kleenex after kleenex and really be there for me in ways he's not had to in the past. He gives excellent advice!

My Dad and Silver Lining!

I look forward to lunch everyday with you :)  I love YOU!

Let's face it, it's stereotypically Mom's job right?  If I cried I went to Mom.  If a boy dumped me, I went to Mom.  It's just natural.  Mom and I are best friends.  Our relationship is so close because of our unique situation. I can remember when I was little and I'd cry.  If my Mom wasn't home, my Dad looked like a deer in head lights and would offer ice cream.  It did work.  But now it's different.  We talk back and forth about how he is doing and what has going on in his day and how I'm managing.  He judges my symptoms by how I act and really, really takes care of me.  He's my silver lining and I smile just thinking of tomorrow's lunch with Dad!  We do daily devotionals together too.  We are bonding on such an adult level and it's just been so fantastic.  If I didn't have this leak, I would not have gotten this chance to know my Dad the way I have.

The time I share with my Dad, I log as Happy HeartBeats.  Happiness, for me, is not what I can accomplish physically outside but what I accomplish, in time with my Dad, or a wonderful talk with my best friend and day dreaming.  I think it's important to define happiness for each person.  I remember gardening, cooking, sailing, playing outside with Stella but for now fun is defined differently.  Friday night has and always will be Pizza Night for us and it's really become our date night.  Oh we live for the next netflix movie or we save all the recorded TV to watch Friday night.  It's together time because my husband has to do so much more around the house, cook, clean, do laundry and work more than full time.  He's the man of ALL men!

So when you are engaging in your happy activities remember they don't have to be formal exercise triathlons (although that applies), they really are individual to everyone. For me I can't wait to have lunch with my Dad and talk.  He knows I love walnuts and he always brings trail mix and picks out the walnuts for me and puts them on my night stand.  It's loving and endearing.  I think I was always hard on my Dad because he teased me so much.  I took him too seriously and now I know it. 
I will cherish the moments he threw me in our swimming pool, gently tugged my pony tail, teased me lovingly and smile!

I see how he looks at me now and, on my bad days, I see that deer in the head light look like before, but now he steps up and takes control with advice or listening; he gauges what I need.  He wins the prize!!  Thank you Dad for being here for me and Stella.  We love every day we spend with you!
So remember, each day when you do something that makes you happy share your Happy HeartBeats with Riley Kids, like me at http://www.gtwyh.org/rileyurology/grouphome.asp.  We all need your love and support!  Thinking of others being happy makes me smile and I know when that number increases each day, it's because someone shared their smile with me.  I share mine with you, always!!

Thank You Smile from Julie, Riley Kid :)

Your Happiness, Love & Compassion always mean the world no matter how old we are!

Happiness Is In The Eye of The Beholder

Remember growing up and everyone would always ask, "So, what do you want to be when you grow up?"  And we all thought we knew too.  The great thing about that is, our imagination told us what we wanted to be.  Oh the places we could go in the recesses of our minds.  So natural and uninhibited.  A true story about a young boy many years ago. It goes like this:  "When I was five years old, my mother always told me that Happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wrote down ' HAPPY ' . They told me I did not understand the assignment, and I told them they did not understand life." - John Lennon.  Interesting coming from an individual who went on to sing and teach the world harmony and how to be themselves.  He really lived what he wanted to be, happy.  Happiness it seems lies in the eyes of the beholder.  Teachers may think it has to be a profession, doctor, lawyer etc. but wouldn't it be nice to be happy too??  Now that's a dream worth dreaming.  Thank you John Lennon for your many gifts of words and songs and inspiration.

Me on my Adaptive Big Wheel Having Fun!

Let's look at our youth today and their happiness.  There are so many responsibilities and rushed events, often little time for the imagination to lead the way.  Remember lying on your back on the ground, looking up at the sky seeing actual objects in the clouds?  It was so real.  Remember holding hands and skipping down the side walk with your best friend and catching fire flies in the summer?  Oh the magic surrounding us.  It was just a dream land.  Let's step back to that time with our kids.  Think of adventures to take with your kids.  In the evening, play tag or freeze tag even.  Now there's a blast from the past. 

Mark Playing with our Nephew and Thier Prescious Dog Gabby!

One such company which encourages and teaches us ways to be children again and to help our children find joy in creative play is www.planetfassa.com.  It's not just for kids to be happy and learn through imagination and being creative.  It's for all of us. Let's all get involved.  Ask your children what makes them happy and write down their comments, to catalog as they grow.  Review it and ask them to explain or better yet, to show you.  Spend time in the evening unwinding by playing hide and seek, asking what they did during the day and what was their most favorite, start a game where every week someone new in the family hides a designated item and it has to be found and reassign the hider each week.  This can go on a life time.  Then when the children are grown, one of the kids will bring it and maybe leave the item under your pillow - oh the memories to be established.  Don't forget the bed time story and if your children are older come up with them as families.  Remember blowing bubbles and seeing who had the largest one and how long it would last before it popped?  Don't forget hopscotch on the drive way and other chalk art outside.  Play with your animals who may have been couped up all day while everyone's at school and work.  Play Frisbee or ball or keep away.  The moral of this story, do happy activities!  Belly laugh until your stomach hurts (what a wonderful feeling).  Have friends over to enjoy the fun and engage in their fun activities. 

Adults don't forget to  foster your inner child.  He/she is still there.  Think back on what made you happy.  Maybe your career revolves around that, if so, you are very lucky indeed!  Remember to tap into your own imagination whether it be journaling, talking to an old friend, getting together with friends and laughing the whole time, spending time with family, running, triathlons, walking your dog (your best friend), do puzzles to unwind, sudoku, sail, enjoy the night sky...do whatever it is that lets you escape for a little while and just puts a smile on your face.  Read about where my imagination took me as a child to spark your memories at http://www.planetfassa.com/blog/?p=4470 and remember even day dreaming is something which can make us happy.  I spend time remembering our trip to Santa Fe and the sunsets from mountain tops, all the colors and how close the sky felt.  I have always loved the sky. 

Stella Swimming enjoying A Hot Summer Day in The Pool!

Look at that Happy Dog Smile!!

Then make it part of your habit to share all that happiness to http://www.gtwyh.org/rileyurology/grouphome.asp. How great to teach the spirit of sharing and giving to your children.  What a wonderful thing to share - happiness.  It's catchy!  Watch our world become a better place because of YOU and your families and pets.  Let's show everyone Happiness improves our lives and those of others when we share it!

Take Time to Enjoy Each Other Outside!

Mark and Julie a Change of Scenery!  Adults Need Fun Too!

Next week, be prepared for a new type of adventure involving penguins to get our kids and families, active, happy and healthy.  Who wouldn't want to share that?