Happy Monday, Journeyer!

I seem to keep missing my Sunday deadline for this Happy Happens column, but just like it’s never too late to tell someone how much you appreciate her/him, it’s also never to late to acknowledge those glorious moments–no matter how brief–that make us feel good.

And honestly, after last week’s hellishness, and I do mean HELLISHNESS, I definitely need to shift the dialogue. Honestly, every aspect of my week was a bit shitty… a great deal of tension in the personal, the professional, and even a little setback in the philanthropic part of my life… As I said to Warren, “I can’t get away from the shit.”

I captured a few fleeting moments on my itty bitty iPhone…

We stopped in to see some friends whose little ones were eager to show us the family’s new pet turkey and their recreational feats on the trampoline and slide.

Angel numbers 222 and 999 were everywhere, my symbols that everything is going to be okay and to keep working on fulfilling my life purpose dreams for The Five Facets Philosophy on Healing.

The badass Indie Chick gals shared this amazing bit of inspiration. (Can’t find the Instagram image right away, so I’ll just share the quote…)

Never blame anyone in your life. Good people give you happiness. Bad people give you experience. The worst people give you a lesson. And the best people give you memories.

I spotted these gorgeous pink flowers in front of a local shop I stopped into.

This humorous post was the first thing I saw when I logged into my Instagram account one morning, a breath of laughter that helped blow the stink off my crappy days gone by and start the new day fresh as a field following spring rain.

I found a throw back photo from Fave’s first Olympic Trials debut! The timing of this find is most apropos given his lifelong dream to compete in the 2016 Olympics. He has a guaranteed spot at the 2016 Olympic Trials!

And I couldn’t have asked for any better ways to round out my week…

I spent Saturday evening hanging out with an old friend and a few new ones at a fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network. The food, music, and camaraderie was simply superb.

I capped off the week at a tailgating party and a concert with three other longtime friends who I don’t get to see nearly often enough. Homemade vegetable chicken soup, garlic bread, veggies, Snickerdoodle cookies, and a giant mug of strawberry Margaritas is just what my week ordered.

In front of me was Little Big Town’s unprecedented harmony. On each side of me were great friends. And over my right shoulder a total eclipse of the moon took place.

As I thought about this past week and that glorious planetary event, the song “Total Eclipse of the Heart” came to mind. The song represents a couple whose relationship is, at its worse dysfunctional and toxic. And yet, when the two are apart, there is a longing for what is missing.

The song sort of leaves us hanging there, with heartache unending, but I can’t help think about the rest of the story, Journeyer.

You see, the thing about an eclipse is that it doesn’t stay dark forever. In fact, the total eclipse took place over a several hour period while we listened to the fabulous tunes of Cam, David Nail, and Little Big Town. By the time we were on our way home, the earth was uncovering her moon, continuing its rotation and we were once again beginning to see the moonlight that bathes our evening skies.

If we choose to wait, to hold out hope, we will eventually see the light on the other side, Journeyer.

Is your relationship rocky? Be patient. Love enough to participate. And look for the light on the other side. There is always some form of light; it might not be the light you want or need, but it is always there. Recognizing that brighter element, shifting your focus, can help make things so much better.

Are you grieving? Be patient. Remember that where there is great pain, there is an even greater love. This is true for any type of loss–loss of a job, a home, a person, a pet, a relationship, or a lifestyle, just to name a few. Remember what The Five Facets teaches us? Our level of grief isn’t about what we’ve lost but is determined by our attachment to what has gone missing from our life.

Just like the planets and suns and moons are always moving, so too are we. Our lives are in a constant state of fluctuation. If we choose to see it through, the darkness always shifts to allow the light to radiate out from the other side once more…

What about you, Journeyer? Did you experience any sort of eclipse this week? Share your moment(s) in a comment below. This neighborhood loves hearing from you!

And, if you or anyone you know would like to be a guest blogger in this series, please submit your story to The Five Facets with a brief bio, a photo that captures your story, and of course, your Happy Happens story!!

Until we meet again, yours in hope, healing, and happiness,