happiness – Jenny Grace's Poetry and Creative Writing Techniques

Butterflies and a Sweltering Hot Day. . .

As temperatures soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit I got bored of being home under the air conditioner, so against my common sense I ventured out. Naturally I chose to walk around an outdoor garden center (this fact is in line with going against my common sense).

As I sweated and adjusted my sunglasses, I slowly walked along the aisles and admired the petunias, daisies, ventas, hydrangeas, and roses in various states of decay due to the excessive heat.

I paused at the row of beautiful deep purple butterfly bushes and lo and behold I witnessed several butterflies and mason bees darting in and out of the lush flowers. Well, I love photography, flowers and nature so I snapped this absolutely amazing photo.

I wanted to share it with you all because it is important to remind ourselves that there is beauty and there is joy in this world. . .despite the ugliness, hatred, and horror that rears itself far too often.

So, I hope you enjoy just admiring this beautiful butterfly alighting atop the deep purple butterfly bush’s flowers.

My advice is for you all to take a few minutes everyday to seek out joy and calm among nature.

Turn off social media and the news. . .

And pretend just for a little while (or longer) that the world is simply filled with butterflies, sunshine and flowers.

Remember that kindness is free.

So, this week be mindful of kindness; be mindful of the beauty around you.

Enjoy your week.

Sunday Morning Drive

“The Earth Laughs in Flowers-” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Okay.

There are days that have burdened me with unbearable sadness.

Days in recent months that convinced me that I could never possibly find joy again.

Joy can come in unexpected moments.

This morning rather than sitting in a brick and mortar church I went for a Sunday drive and headed out of the city down a secondary backroad that ran parallel to an old railroad track. Old farmhouses and an industrial park and untended farm fields lined either side of the road as I drove along in the early morning hours.

Ah! In the distance, to my right I saw a field glistening with lemony yellow sunflowers lifting their deep green stalks towards the turquoise summer sky.

In stunned silence, I thought it was an illusion.

But, alas, God has crowned his earth with beauty so perfect and so complete that it leaves us speechless.

So, I walked among the lemony yellow sunflowers and the fields of pink zinnias, yellow and orange marigolds, and white and pink snapdragons.

Standing among the glorious flowers I envisioned that heaven must look exactly like this glorious garden. I found out that a family of farmers cultivate the flowers along with watermelons, cantaloupes and a variety of vegetables.

They allow visitors to cut a bouquet of flowers (for a minimum price, of course).

I collected a variety of flowers and now that bouquet is beautifully adorning my dining room table. Every time I look at it I will be reminded of just how beautiful this world is; I will be reminded that joy can come in unexpected moments.

I will be reminded of how my heart healed and laughed at that tiny joyous sparkle of roadside beauty.

Indeed Emerson was correct when he noted that the earth laughs in flowers.

The earth in its beauty brings laughter to our hearts and heals our suffering souls.

So, go for a drive and seek out the little roadside surprises that await.

Be watchful of unexpected blessings.

I feel blessed by this day. I feel blessed by this day that God has made.

I feel joy in my heart and I can face whatever is coming in my life because I know there will always be flowers blooming in the rich dark soil.

And I can always take a Sunday drive.

Poetry Revisited

As I’ve said in my last post, I am going through old notebooks and journals to review my past writing. I’ve always thought of myself as a poet (regardless of what writer’s group critics might say). I simply love the freedom of expression that captures emotion and imagery in poetry. Everyone has an opinion and that is fine.

Here are a few of my favorite poems over the years:

From 2019, “Just Being.”

“Just Being”

Little lavender flowers wet with early morning dew drop their petals into the green grass; dragonfly flitters past.

God glances between ancient oak branches; birds rustle in their nests.

Breezes swirl around brown and gold leaves.

God lifts his fingers to touch the sky; clouds drift by.

I turn my face skyward for the benediction; God blesses me with the gift of just being.

From 2019, also, “Options.”

“Options”

Cold rain in early May.

God has left it up to me to decide which way to go.

Live or die?

Laugh or cry?

Cold rain in a present year I decide.

Sunlight breaks through the clouds; the warmth refuses to hide.

I lift my hands towards God who loves me; I accept the laughter and the pain.

I rejoice in the sunshine and the rain.

From 2021, “Squirrel: A Snapshot

Squirrel: A Snapshot

Chilly morning, a squirrel sits atop the wooden privacy fence and munches on an acorn.

His fat, little cheeks vibrate with joy.

He drops the acorn and scurries along the length of the privacy fence.

Thanks for reading. Please comment and let me know what you think.

Intentionally Happy

I know it might sound a bit strange to say “be intentionally happy” because we often think that happiness is something that happens spontaneously. And, it does from time to time, like a wonderful surprise. This is wonderful when happiness happens like that.

But, there are times when our moods and circumstances can sabotage us; there are times when outside distractions can rob us of our joy.

On this Monday, I have decided to be intentional with happiness; I have decided to push aside negative thoughts, anxieties, and concerns that drain me of my joy. I have decided to pencil in on my calendar this afternoon a nice leisurely stroll on the nature trail near my home. I have decided to pencil in on my calendar at minimum a two hour block to write my second novel “To Dust We Shall Return.” I have decided to pencil in time to sit back and enjoy this beautiful blessing called my life.

I heard someone say that we are all limited editions, that no one in the history of the world has ever been just like we are. In other words, no one in the past, present, or future will ever be exactly like you are. We are all unique spirits; this day is unique; it will never, ever come again.

We all have the same amount of time in a day. Prioritize your goals; mark them on a calendar and stick to it.

On this beautiful Monday, ask yourself these questions:

What do I want my day to mean? What is the purpose of the hours I have spent? What can I do to create beauty, happiness, compassion?

Go ahead and mark your calendar with purpose.

Be intentionally happy. Don’t wait for the feeling to come over you.

Just do it.

Be intentional with your happiness.

Go ahead, you can do it!

Money, Happiness, Humor

It is an amazingly beautiful Saturday morning. The temperature is just right; the sunshine is bright and the sky is a clear blue with cottony white clouds. The jasmine outside my window has wrapped around the thin bark of my young oak tree; the sweet scent of tiny, delicate jasmine flowers reminds me of just how perfectly God has balanced this life. In this moment, cool breezes scented with sweet jasmine, song of birds serenading from the high branches of oak and pine, my books lined up on my bookshelves next to my desk in my room, remind me of thankfulness; I remember darker days before now. I remember days I never thought I would find peace; but now, I have peace. I have happiness. It has taken decades to get to this peaceful space.

Throughout the ages, the question of what brings happiness has been hotly debated.

Is it money that brings happiness? Is it inner acceptance of God’s will in a person’s life? Is it environment? Is it the connection to family and friends? Is it. . .? Is it. . .?

Is a person’s level of happiness impacted by genetically-based tendencies towards biochemical changes in the brain that makes their moods fluctuate beyond their control?

Is personality quite simply the major factor?

Honestly, I think it is a combination of factors; I don’t think it is just one factor.

I can say for sure that I found peace in my soul when I became honest with myself, when I stopped looking over my shoulder in anticipation of whether I had made someone else happy. My happiness increased when I learned to say “no” and to set boundaries, when I learned that it is not selfish to defend my own personal space. I found happiness when I learned that I am valuable quite simply because I am God’s child and that I do not need anyone else’s approval.

Happiness means different things for different people, of course. We have all read about the massively rich who are miserably unhappy. Yet, we have all met people who live in poverty who radiate contentment.

I live near the ocean; while I don’t have a yacht, I do have the opportunity to rent a kayak. Well, I know it’s not the same thing, but. . .Happiness is joy of living; Happiness is laughter at the peculiarities of life.

I like brainyquotes and I often look for interesting quotes there. I would like to share some humorous quotes regarding happiness that I found on that website. I hope you get a few laughs from the quotes. Have a beautiful and joy-filled Saturday.

Here are the quotes:

“Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you’re being miserable-” Clare Boothe Luce

“Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it-” David Lee Roth

“Happiness is good health and a bad memory-” Ingrid Bergman

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city-” George Burns

Please leave a comment and share your definition of happiness.

It’s All in the Perception. . .Where are you from?

“I’m a kind of paranoid in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”-J.D. Salinger (Brainyquotes)

Just yesterday, I had to complete a diversity and inclusivity training at my job. I was informed in the training that the question “Where are you from?” is an example of microaggression. Needless to say, I scratched my head. Maybe it’s because I was born in the middle of the last century, but I could have sworn that “Where are you from?” is an icebreaker in a conversation. In my life, “Where are you from?” is usually followed by the sharing of information to get to know the person better.

Evidently, for the under forty crowd, the question is the equivalent of a vicious verbal weapon laden with layers upon layers of negative, discriminatory innuendo. Seriously, it’s obvious that somebody has read far too much into this icebreaker question. In fact, anyone who experiences discomfort from being asked “Where are you from?” should seriously sit down and ponder why they feel discomfort at the question. Why the paranoia? Maybe the person asking the question is just trying to start a conversation. Maybe I am just simple-minded, but I have been asked the question and I have asked others the same questions. It’s called a conversation.

In it’s very definition, microaggression admits that it’s often unintentional in nature.

Unintentional meaning that it is not intended to offend.

Truth is every little word cannot be dissected and scrutinized for underlying meaning and innuendo that quite possibly might not exist. It is absolute madness to create a society in which everybody has to walk on eggshells and monitor every little utterance so as not to offend.

Truth is everybody is offended by something.

My mother told me a long time ago, “If you can’t say something kind, don’t say anything.”

I have lived by this.

“Where are you from?” is just a question intended to start a conversation.

How the person receiving the question perceives it is entirely up to that person’s interpretation of the intention of the person asking it.

Of course, depending upon the situation, if the person asking the question is being a jackass, then that is an entirely different animal.

I think we all know the difference.

Intention and perception are everything.

Let’s just be kind.

Let’s be mindful of our words.

Words have power to heal; words have power to harm.

Think before you speak, but, don’t be afraid to speak.

Start a conversation. We need each other on this lonely planet.

What we don’t need is a laundry list of what we can and cannot say.

Who gets to write the list?

Who?

Think about it.

Artwork: Mountains: Happy Place

This is a sketch of mountains from my imagination.

Mountains are peaceful and inspire calm for me.

I like to use lots of color when I sketch, so these mountains are rich in color.

Let me know what you know you think.

I hope you enjoy my art work.

Thank you for reading.

The Present

Pictured here is a torii gate that the local arboretum has in its Japanese garden near the tea house. The arboretum is very peaceful with its winding paths, rocks, flowers, trees and shrubs. Traditionally, the torii gate is at the entrance of a sacred space.

This sprawling garden fits my definition of a sacred space.

It is a refuge. It is a place I can go and quietly sit beside the pond and watch the branches of the willow tree sweep into the water and watch the koi fish swim between the willow trees’ delicate, sweeping branches.

The pale blue sky above me and the chilly January breezes remind me of the simple beauty of this life. This life is such a priceless jewel and God has blessed each of us with this day to just bask in the sunlight and to breathe in the sacredness of this moment.

For the next couple of weeks, I am unplugging social media. I do not want to know about those things that trouble me. Yes, I am going to stick my head in the sand and look away.

Only God can change this trajectory of chaos and mayhem.

I can choose to take a deep breath, stay in the moment, go for a peaceful stroll among the ancient oak, pause beneath the red torii gate and consider the sacredness of this space in time.

God has blessed us with so much that we as a society have taken for granted.

I am thankful to God for the beauty of this day.

I am thankful and I give praise to my God for this gift of sacredness.

Happiness is a Sugar Cookie

I love hot tea. I love sugar cookies.

To me, food heaven would be a cup of hot tea that tastes like a sugar cookie.

Well, the Celestial Seasonings Tea Company has actually made my dream of food heaven a reality.

This afternoon, I was grocery shopping and to my surprise there it was, my dream come true- “Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride” tea.

I blinked several times. This, after all, has not been a very good year, so I considered that my imagination might have been running wild on me since I was wearing my mask snugly (maybe my oxygen level had dropped).

I carefully snatched up a box and examined it, read the ingredients, zoned in on the “natural sugar cookie flavor” and immediately put two boxes in my cart.

At home, I brewed up a cup and, yes, it does indeed taste like a warm sugar cookie!

Joy! Happiness! Peace!

While sipping my sugar cookie tea, I read the little note on the side of the box that gave the history of sugar cookies.

Apparently, sugar cookies were introduced to North America by a group of 18th century German immigrants who settled near Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

Also, noted on the box was a Norwegian Proverb: Cookies are made with butter and love.

I absolutely agree with this Norwegian Proverb.

Nothing says love better than a cookie, especially a cookie that is as buttery as a warm sugar cookie.

There is a cup of hot tea that tastes like sugar cookies at the end of this dark tunnel known as 2020.

In this Christmas season, I plan to daily enjoy a cup of hot sugar cookie sleigh ride tea and give thanks for the small things that can give incredible joy in the midst of this difficult year.

I feel better already!

Blessings to everyone. Merry Christmas!

Happy Friday (or Saturday)!

Happiness. Joy. Beauty. Peace.

These are qualities which are largely ignored in a world which dwells obsessively on sadness, ugliness, and chaos.

Truth is that there is more beauty than ugliness. There is more joy than sadness. There is more peace than chaos.

It all depends on choices. What do you choose to spend your time listening to, talking about, reading?

Do you wake up in the morning and complain about the long commute ahead of you or do you wake up and look out the window at the beauty of the sun’s golden rays gloriously shining between the trees?

Do you look at your children and snap at them for not having their book bags ready or do you take a moment to hug each of them and thank God that they are in your life (remember they grow up and move on to their own lives sooner than you can even imagine)?

Do you complain that your spouse forgot to take the trash out or do you stop and remember back to your wedding day and that precious love you entered into so many years ago?

Choices.

We all have them. We can decide which actions we want to take.

We can either choose to be unhappy or we can choose to look out the window at the early morning sun and be happy that God has blessed us with another chance to try to better ourselves.

We can choose to hug our children and tell them that they are special, that they are precious to us.

We can choose to extend grace, love, and understanding to our spouse when he or she seemingly falls short of our own arbitrary expectations.

We can choose to look inward and evaluate our choices.

Joy, beauty, and peace can only be found when we choose to actively look for each of them.

The question asked often is whether the glass is half empty or half full.

I say it is half full.

It is a choice.

Happy Friday (or Saturday).

I choose to be happy. I choose to push through the negativity and smile as I watch the glorious sun rising above the tops of the pine trees each morning.

These days are blessings.

And I am thankful for these blessings.