Happy Sunday, Journeyer! Right now, we’re returning from an out-of-town trip for Big Guy. I have to say that in this moment, as Warren drives through intermittent freezing rain and snow, I’m grateful that my boy doesn’t have use of his license right now. Chuckle… I guess there really are two sides to nearly every emotion… My youngest was driving a little too fast on the way to school one morning, which culminated in a speeding ticket. New York law says if you receive a speeding violation before you turn eighteen, your license is suspended. In my boy’s case, for sixty days. He’s one involved young man, which means Warren and I have been very busy playing taxi again. I really liked my own independence that came with my child’s freedom. Though being Mom Driver again has been a little hectic and requires me to once again sit and wait in parking lots, I can say it’s been a little more palatable because Big Guy hasn’t taken our time for granted. Ice is forming on the windshield and frozen crystals are glistening in the headlights. Right now I’m happy that my young man isn’t making the hour long trip alone.

I’m also happy for technology and shared responsibility. Warren and I each have Sunday projects to attend, so we decided we’d both go, allowing us to tag team and then to enjoy a dinner out. I wish I’d taken a photo, but if you ever been to a Cracker Barrel you know just how warm and cozy that big old fireplace was tonight. Even better than the food and the fireplace was this little bit of fun I found in the gift shop.

“Chocolate comes from cocoa. That makes it a plant. Chocolate is salad.”

This logic is downright hilarious and reminds me of those DirecTV commercials, which Warren says remind him of me and the way I think. Happiness is a bit like that salad, random and filled with a wide assortment of ingredients, like a smorgasbord that includes your favorite foods. Other moments that fed my happy organ include the completion of many, many tasks and goals… I was honored to be a guest on the Good Grief Radio show with host Cheryl Jones. Honestly, talking with her felt like I was chatting with a long lost friend. I designed and ordered brochures for The Five Facets Philosophy and finally finalized some ongoing copyright problems pertaining to my memoir, Digging for the Light.

Speaking of my book, I felt a great deal of joy realizing that this week marks the one-year anniversary of her release and the one year anniversary of my TEDx Talk, “The Power of ‘What if?’ ”   It’s amazing how much can happen in such a relatively short period of time! I created the Powerpoint presentation for my upcoming speech, sent out some long-overdue thank you cards, mailed a few pay-it-forward surprises, took care of some Project Graduation details, managed to reduce the clutter in my office by actually throwing out a few things, and almost finished pulling together the information for this year’s income tax return. That, Journeyer, is probably one of the highlights of my week because I’ve been a little anxious about the tax stuff as I’ve never had to deal with a start-up business before. I felt a great sense of accomplishment to discover that my records are in pretty good shape and that I had a better understanding of how I needed to organize the materials than I thought I did… Two other things that always top my happy list are time with my family and music. Most of the time when I’m belting out song lyrics, I’m behind the wheel of a car, which means I rarely have the chance to make notations that I can come back to for this weekly column. I was able to jot down these two titles in the past few days. Paul McCartney’s Listen to What the Man Said and The Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” is one that seems to fully fill up the space around me, as if the finest surround system is set to high volume.

So true, isn’t it? Love is blind and it will grow if we allow it…and… We’re all brothers and sisters, aren’t we Journeyer? I love the beauty that happens when we work together, when we take turns bearing the load, sometimes the carrier…other times the one being carried…

Yesterday I enjoyed watching Big Guy compete in a school trivia contest, and I had several delightful conversations with Beauty and Fave throughout the week. Then there’s this beautiful little handmade gem of jewelry. Isn’t it beautiful? I’m going to feel like a million bucks when I give that speech in a few weeks…every little detail helps to curb the nerves!

One of the most exhilarating parts of my week included the framing of the very first concept design of The Five Facets Philosophy. This event was made even sweeter when I used the $50 gift certificate I won in a Midlife Boulevard giveaway! These gals have a wagonload of sisters, all taking turns carrying one another down the boulevard of midlife. Check out the many great things they are doing and writing about!

Journeyer, I had a little bit of a glitch while writing this piece. You see, this thought crossed my mind, Why would anyone want to read about the details of my week? It kind of felt a little, I don’t know…over-indulgent? But the definition of hedonistic best describes why I do this. This practice is definitely “a devotion, especially a self-indulgent one, to pleasure and happiness as a way of life.” This column is a way to encourage us all to pay homage to those fleeting moments that bring a smile to our face or warmth to our heart. Join me, Journeyer? Share one of your week’s happy moments in the comment below. And lastly…have you? Joined our neighborhood?This is the place where we are neighbors in grief and allies in healing, the place we take turns carrying one another on our journey to living our best life, even in the face of adversity. When you sign up I’ll send you a FREE digital poster of ten of my top power mantras and our FREE monthly newsletter, morsels designed to feed your soul and fuel your inspiration. Until we meet again, yours in hope, healing, and happiness,       ~AE Soon…
Oh, yes… Candy Crush…after a month-long battle, I’ve finally beaten Level 452…tenacity, Journeyer…never give up… 😉