Let's make an epidemic!

Joy and happiness can be contagious,
I hope to make it so contagious that it's an epidemic.
Can you imagine it?
I can.

I don't mean the fake kind of happiness or joy
that you see in the movies or in the mall.
The joyful tone that you know only comes
because of the potential commission that they'll get from your purchase.
You know...the happy face that makes you
wonder how many "upers" they are taking.
Yeah.
I'm not talking about that kind of happy.
That's definitely not a happy that lasts.
It's not a true happy.

What I'm talking about is the happy that lasts a lifetime.
It's Christmas morning, when you see your pony for the first time.
It's the happy of arriving back in the US after studying abroad in Spain, and seeing your family waiting for you.
It's the hug that engulfs you.
The embrace that smothers you,
in the best possible way.
The smothering that makes you want to
curl up and stay there watching a movie.
The happy that tells you that you are safe and loved.
Yep.
That's the happy I'm talking about.

Some people search their entire life for happiness.
They believe that it can be found in the perfect person.
When that doesn't work, they think that it must be in how much money they make.
Nope. Not there either.
Sadly, they are looking in the wrong direction!
They think that happiness can be found in other things...
that their joy will be achieved when they get something.
Those are nice thoughts,
but not true.

Happiness is not achieved when you get anything.
I find happiness when my hands are empty.
I'm happiest when I've given it all away.

I'm happy when I teach.
Do middle students give much praise for your creative teaching?
No, they don't.
But when I see them graduate from high school, then college...
When they have families, and their kids grow to be strong people,
I'm happy.

I'm happy when I volunteer.
My hands are dirty, but the hearts around me are clean.
They give with their time, energy, and a spirit to make the world better.
Do the families we help heap praise on us?
Nope.  Many don't want us there at all.
But I'm not there for them.
I can't control the actions of others.
I can make a difference in the quality of life for an animal.
Seeing the dog run free and safe is a tear-inducing happiness.

I'm happy when I create pies, cookies, or treats.
I know that with each one,
money can be given to charities that I respect.
For me, it's not about the money.
Yes, money is great.
Could I use more?
Sure, who couldn't!
But do I really need more?
No.
I don't.

When you look back on your year,
what is in your hands?
Are you holding on tight to external things?
A person? Money? Objects?
If I could give you one gift this new year,
I would give you the gift of empty hands.
I would pass to you the feelings that it's taken me 37 years to get to.
Contentment.
Joy.
and the best one yet...
Happiness.

Simple, yet profound.

Will you join me in spreading the epidemic of joy and happiness?
Once you catch it,
you never want it to go away.
And you'll never regret it.
That's my promise to you.

Cheers of love, joy, and never-ending happiness in 2015.

The 3 R's for the New Year

Review,
Reflection,
and Resolutions.

Last year at this time Murphy I looked at each other 

and wondered, "What will 2013 bring?" 

Little did we know how huge the changes would be in store for us. 

New faces, 
new places to go, 
things to do, 
and people to bring into our little world. 

What a difference a year makes and two little resolutions.

2013 Resolutions:
1. Volunteer with Fences for Fido.
2. Drink more.

Generally when people hear my two resolutions, 

they automatically want to know about the second...but I'm going to start at the top.  
Fences For Fido.
You might ask yourself the question; That was a resolution? 
Yep, it sure was. 
Hard to believe that one year ago, 
I hadn't even met anyone associated with Fences for Fido. 
Of course I had been stalking them over Facebook for months and raising money through my big sales...but that was it. 
Mind you I was very nice stalker. 
I like to think that I'm the best kind of stalker to have. Hehe...it's true. ☺ 
So with the new year beginning, I decided that I was going to actually volunteer. 
Looking on the website, the first thing I noticed was that they needed help making beds. 
Well heck, I could definitely make dog beds. 
So I signed up and went to my first activity. 
There, around a campfire, I met the people that have changed my life. 
Now if you been following my blog, you know that this is what I do every weekend...
I help with Fences For Fido. 
So I'm not to spend more time writing about that, 
but definitely check out this amazing organization for yourself!  
There are countless posts here on my blog that will make you want to help out too. 

Now, Resolution Number Two, Drink More. 
This resolution usually catches people off guard. 
Because most people make a resolution to drink less. 
Apparently, people think this resolution is strange...ok, maybe not strange. 
People give me strange looks and laugh uncomfortably when they hear my goal. 
I get the feeling that most wish they had this kind of problem. 
Most people confess to me that they need to drink less, but not me, I need to drink more. 
See, the main problem is I forget about it. 
You may ask yourself; How could somebody forget to drink? 
Well, I really don't know. 
It's not that I don't have alcohol around the house I do. 
It's just I forget to drink it. 
I know, this all sounds absolutely ridiculous. 
And it is… absolutely ridiculous. 
But, I set it as a goal and 
so I worked really, really, really hard this last year to drink more. 
I feel like I did an okay job, 
but I could definitely improve on the quantity and frequency of drinking. 

Sometimes goals to be rolled over into the new year. 
And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

So here we go, 

My Resolutions for 2014.

1. Drink more. Drink more and more frequently...maybe even throw in beer? Eek! Baby steps. Baby steps to meeting the goal. :) (Writing resolutions is tough, but somebody has to do it.)

2.. Learn to play the ukulele. Now this resolution is just to learn something new and I thought why not learn how to play the ukulele. I have many friends that already play and it be fun to play along. Maybe I could play around the campfire and sing songs...basically, enjoy a little addition to a very good life. 

Plus maybe if I learn how to play the ukulele, I could learn to play the guitar. And then I can strum along with sad country songs about dogs, trucks, and mud...maybe even a song about a long lost love. Ah, the joy and heartbreak of country music. 

Now, if you haven't figured it out my resolutions all about positive things.  It's all about fun.  I don't like making resolutions doomed to fail, I like to make resolutions that will just make my world more joyful. And that's what I plan to do. 

Drink, play, and sing...

Now doesn't that sound like a recipe for joy? 

Yep, I think so too. 

So cheers to a brand new year of living a simple life, with sparkle. 

Lori