Happiness Pie

Aidan is home from the hospital. EEG glue still stuck in his hair. 

I bought a little dinosaur puzzle for us to work on since much of our activity after a hospital stay needs to be done while sitting or laying down. 

The directions said: "Easy to hatch-mind boggling to close." After several minutes of trying to get this egg cracked (including a pitocin drip) I finally got this bad boy out. It was mind boggling enough! This dinosaur is out of his shell forever! 

Anyway, it made Aidan happy. 

Anyone who knows me, knows I will read anything on the subject of happiness (well, that and suffering...and where's God in the suffering. Happy little thoughts like that:)  

"The Happiness Project"

"Happiness Is A Serious Problem"

"The Secret Keys to Happiness" 

 If the title has the word happiness, it doesn't take me long to crack that open. 

I want a piece of that pie..the happiness pie...

It's a bit of a mystery. People who seem to have it all and expect happiness to be a byproduct, die from a drug overdose trying to ease the pain. Others, who remember having very little as a child, barely enough to eat and only hand me down clothes often talk about how happy they were. They didn't know not to be happy! Thats a home where love abounds. 

Look at the happiness on this child's face after receiving his first pair of new shoes:) 

I often produce that look when I buy new shoes:)

 At first sight, those look a little too big for him but he doesn't seem to mind. Oh, the joy:) 

A while back, I signed up for a research study at Virginia Tech. It sounded interesting but I mainly did it for the monetary compensation offered for my time. (I wanted to wallpaper my bathroom....for free:)

I was the first woman accepted into the study. I met the basic criteria: A women of a certain age and weight range, not taking any form of drugs, or even vitamins. Interestingly, they were having trouble finding women my age who where not taking some kind of prescription drug. I asked about it and was told that most were on some kind of an anti-depressent.

Oh, a happiness pill......

Recently, I went to my doctor for suggestions/help for the symptoms of menopause. He rattled off a list, which included an anti-depresent. I stopped him right there and then and said: "You've got to be kidding me - an anti-depresent for the symptoms of menopause?" He told me it helped a lot of women, including his wife. (I hope his wife gave him permission to share that because here I am blabbing about it)  He said: "It takes the edge off." Hm...edgy? Maybe he meant bitchy.

 Edgy + bitchy = An unhappy woman.

 No one you'd want to be around! Apparently, there's a pill for that..

 I'd like to think I can figure this happiness thing out the natural way but, if it's anything like figuring out how to get the natural look from the makeup artists behind the Mac counter..this is going to take a little work..

So, I read about happiness. Reading is my anti-depressent drug of choice. I take it at least three times a day, often in a reclined position. Extreme conditions may call for reclining in a tub of hot bubbly water. And never on an empty stomach.

Side effects may include, but are not limited to: dry mouth (quickly remedied with glass of red wine) A general feeling of wellbeing. A strong desire to look on the bright side. A slight upturn of the corners of the mouth. And if the words work their magic and you feel a euphoria that lasts for more than four hours, share that book with a friend.. 

I think I've narrowed down the secrets to happiness to a few key things:

Someone to love

Finding a purpose and a passion in life

Something to look forward to

Pie. 

The other day I was thinking (because I have a strange little mind) that there should be some kind of emergency pie mobil. 

Whatever your mood...there's a pie for that...

It would jingle down the streets like the old ice cream trucks playing a little song..maybe something like:

Oooooooooooooooh!
Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch
You know that I love you!
I can't help myself!
I love you and nobody else!

Pie!

It's no surprise that an animal as loyal, true and one that displays  unconditional love such as a dog..is God spelled backward. The same rule applies to the word "stressed"...no surprise what that spells backwards:) 

tBasically, I feel like we are born with a natural set point for happiness. Horrible things happen and it dips below our set point. Good things happen and it's raised. Then back again to its norm. But, we're all different. There are those who seem to find happiness easily and those we know as the Eeyore's "End of the road. Nothing to do, and no hope of things getting better!" Poor Eeyore, he has a very low happiness set point:) 

Aidan's condition messes with my set point. (which I feel is naturally set quite high) The drugs they tried intravenously had no effect on his seizures. It's disappointing to say the least. Just like the game of Candy Land when unfortunately you choose the card that takes you all the way back to square one-just when you feel like you are approaching a sweet place. 

But, Aidan is no Eeyore. He doesn't even know to be unhappy. Love abounds. We're still slicing that pie..and serving it out. It's not the end of the road. We will try the next thing. And, love abounds..and abounds. 

It's Cake'O Clock...again

Today is my birthday. Today, I officially become a senior citizen.

This is just very exciting....

I went on-line this morning to see what benefits await me today that weren't availably to me yesterday.
According to one website, I've been a senior citizen for the last five years.

This is just very exciting....

It's probably a good thing I didn't read that when I turned fifty. Fifty was hard. Fifty sounded very old. It took me awhile to get my mind around turning fifty. I could hardly say the word. Maybe it takes about five years to be able to say that particular f word, because I'm not having quite the same reaction to turning 55 today. (and that's two f words put together!:)  In fact, I'm  looking forward to claiming some of these old age senior discounts!


I've actually practiced it taking Aidan to the movies.
"One child and one senior citizen for the 7pm showing of Frozen"
I felt a little guilty pushing it by a few weeks, but this morning I read that movie theater discounts start at age 65. (I may need to go back to bed....) Why that little 18 year old didn't say "Ma'am, I'm going to have to see your ID...you can't possibly be a senior!" (and really LOUD so everyone could hear ) I will never know:)
Little whipper-snapper...

But anyway, old people need to look on the bright side of things. (we're headed towards the light and all that...)

We really are offered all kinds of nice little discounts! (I need to send that memo to Kate Spade...)

 In a hostage situation, I'd be one of the first released.


 As we age, the love for our country grows.  I think I could pull this look off:

Apparently our jewelry becomes functional. Because we fall, and we can't get up..

My memory is starting to slip. I can completely forget my point in a conversation midstream, but I've learn to fill in with complicated words like.......um.

I've decided I'm just going to start to call everyone "Sweetie" when I can't remember a name. Old people can do that..and it's one of the benefits of living in the South:)  I can be a little old school anyway. I like it when young people call me Mrs. Thomas. I like to hear "your welcome" to my "Thank you" (as opposed to "No problem") I have a strange desire to tell everyone I love them.

What can I say about this day? That things are mostly good ~ and that I'd like to be more like this guy:

                                       "I'm still learning." ~ Michelangelo- age 87.

Still learning. So much more to learn.
Somethings I hope I never forget. So, let me just remind myself:
(Because at this age, we write little notes to ourselves:)

1)  What I say, and how I say it..matters.

2)  When I feel a nudge or a general feeling to do something random for someone. Do it. Don't wait. It   will lose its impact if I think about it too much and will most likely end in the deed not being done.
                                         
 3) Just be brave.

 4) Things aren't fair. Stop looking for fair.

 5) There is nothing like saying I'm sorry..like saying I'm sorry.

And now I better get up and get moving...the clock is ticking:)

Incognito

This is about the fastest I've ever sat down to write a blog. And I have to do it quickly because I need to be somewhere in 30 minutes. But, I don't want to forget to say thank you.

Do you ever feel like something is just meant to be? You are in the right place at the right time? I felt like that happened today.

Today is my day off. I was enjoying being in my home catching up on things and cleaning and playing on line and of course chatting to God. I told him that I thought he should just come back. That things weren't all that great around here. In the big scheme of things but mostly in my little world. Aidan isn't much better. We still have to hold on to him while he walks. It's hard to put weight on him..he's as skinny as a little bird. The whole thing is just sad and pathetic and I hate it. It effects everything about my life.

I figured it was God's day off too because he was a little quiet on the matter. No trumpets blew. We didn't all meet up in the sky. Aidan still falls.

Everyone is tired around here. It was a half day for Aidan so I wanted to give his mama a break and asked her if she thought he was stable enough for me to take him to the track like I used to when he was in better form. She didn't think so. I decided I would take him for a ride in the car and get him something to eat.

When he is this bad, I just go through the drive through (he likes Taco Bell Pinto's and cheese:) then I park and get into the backseat with him and feed him while he is still in his car seat. We talk and people watch. A dog was in a car next to us so that was fun.

He said he wanted ice cream. Sounded good! But, I just kept thinking about the track. I decided I would try it. I could hold him up while we walked. He needed the exercise. Ice cream could be the reward.

When I got there I saw a dad putting his son into something like a wheelchair. But, it wasn't a wheelchair. It was a fantastic trike for the disabled. Aidan was FASCINATED.

Long story short.,..It was a meeting that was just meant to be. I got so much information about the organization which sells these and other items and priceless conversation from a family who has walked a similar walk.

So, I am reminded that sometimes when I feel the Lord is silent..he often appears incognito. Like one great big masquerade party-in the form of family, friends and complete strangers.

And then we had ice cream.

And God is good.