Happiness

Being restricted to the volume of my car when packing for my western adventure meant I didn't have the luxury of bringing non-essential items.  One of the few frivolous things that made the trek was a magnet that now hangs on the refrigerator in my new home in the mountains.  Its message more applicable every day as I live out this crazy dream and try to figure out where life's road is going to take me.

"happiness is a journey, not a destination.....

for a long time it seemed to me that

life was about to begin - real life.

but there was always some obstacle

in the way, something to be gotten

through first, some unfinished

business, time stil to be served,

a debt to be paid.  at last it dawned

on me that these obstacles were my

life.  this perspective has helped me

to see there is no way to happiness.

happiness is the way.  so treasure

every moment you have and

remember that time waits for no one."

-sauza

Sometimes I have to remind myself -- hey, this is your life.  Today.  Not that thing that you're making plans for three months from now.  Its so easy to get caught up in the process and forget the everyday moments that end up being what life is really all about.  In my pre-mountain life, everything was temporary.  I never fully committed (at least mentally) to much of anything, because in the back of my mind I was always headed west.  Thing is, it took me 9 years to get here.  9 years is a lot of life to only half-live waiting for the next big thing.

Now that I'm here, living this supposed dream, it's easy to struggle with a similar problem....what's next? Is this what I wanted?  If it is, how am I going to make it permanent?  Because this dream is a time bomb, set to explode when the "just get there" job ends with the season.  And while this little squirrel made sure to stock up on nuts for the winter, that supply isn't infinite and you can only starve yourself for so long.

So I am trying to find balance, to enjoy this experience for what it is, to find the "happy" in everyday, while still making calculated moves toward the future.  Its not easy.

Conveniently, I was tagged by Laura to do just that -- find the "happy."  So this is one little chain-letter game I'll play along with.  What a great way to remember that there are so many little things in life to be thankful for.  Here goes, 10 things that make me happy, in no particular order:


* Mountains and everything about this crazy mountain life I'm living right now.  Even if it makes me want to rip out my hair at times.

* All the positive and supportive people in my life.  We make choices every day about how we spend our energy and who we share ourselves with.  I feel so lucky to have people in my life who are supportive in the best possible way, from brutal honesty to unconditional love. Talking or spending time with any of these people always makes me happy.

* Coffee.  Because, well, duh...coffee = all that is productive in my life before noon.  And productivity makes me happy.

* My bike.  And the fact that it is a prominent piece of furniture in my living room.  And that I could sell it to buy myself at least two more months in this town.  And yes, I have thought about that.

* My mac.  My lifeline to the world from this remote little mountain town and my TV-less condo.  I would be lost without it.

* Getting mail.  Real mail.  Like in an actual mailbox at the post office.  Bonus happiness if its in package form and contains goodies. 

* Skype.  Coolest. Invention. Ever.  I mean, besides the internet itself, of course.  And potatoes.


*New music, and people who send it to me.  :)  I'm too lazy to look for it myself. 


*Being able to say "ya, call me if you're up on the mountain tomorrow"....on a Wednesday.  Any Wednesday.  All winter.


*The fact that the grocery store has a parking lot.  Seriously.  This makes me very happy.