October 31--Another Month Concludes

Don't wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get, you've got to make yourself.  --Alice Walker

    Let's close the October theme of "fulfillment" with the prescription for global and individual happiness:

We must return to the spiritual values that are the foundation of life. We must love and respect all living things, have compassion for the poor and the sick, respect and understanding for women and female life on this earth who bear the sacred gift of life. —Indigenous delegates to the Global Forum on Environment, 1990

    It's about time, I'd say.

        Leta

"Sisterhood of the Divine Feminine" by Lila Violet

October 30--Comparison--Not a Good Practice

Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself.  --Dalai Lama

    I think we have this idea well covered from the writings this month. 

    I feel led to write about the 5 Love Languages (see book of that title by Gary Chapman). They are gifts, time spent together, words, physical touch and acts of service. Specifically I'm considering acts of service. This comes up because yesterday a semi pulled up in front of my son's house with a very expensive, large and heavy wedding gift delivery from the bride's side of the family. My husband and I paid for the rehearsal dinner, but otherwise did not buy an actual wedding gift for the couple. Instead, we did acts of service: 1) We took care of their dog at our VRBO house during the wedding and post-wedding party. 2) I stayed at their house to dog-sit while the couple went on their honeymoon. 3) I provided the "shuttle service" to and from the airport for their trip. 4) I cleaned their house, not because it needed it so much, but because it is so nice to come home to a clean house. 5) I packaged and sent off their Warther** knives to be sharpened, desperately needed. 

    Why bother writing all of this? I mentioned last night to my other son that it is challenging for me not to compare our acts of service to an expensive gift (delivered by semi, no less!). I know that such comparison gets me into trouble every time. It is not a good path to tread. I must consider it simply a difference in love language, both of equal value. 

    Grateful for the reminder that comparison does not lead to happiness,

        Leta

** Warther Cutlery--finest knives on the planet, they sharpen them for free forever, check them out.

Dusty, my sweet bud for the week

October 29--I am ________.

When what we are is what we want to be, that's happiness.  --Malcolm Forbes

    "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I consider that a perfectly valid question whether one is 4, 14, 44, 64 or 84 years old. 

    I am the following things that I want to be: useful, healthy, caring lovingly for myself and others, a dog-owner, a mother, a wife, active, a "numbers nerd," a teacher, in recovery (from addiction), loved, loving, a world traveler--I'll spare you a longer list. I am happy. 

    Yet... there are other things I'd like to be--a decent golfer, thinner--well, heck, I can't think of anything else except... I REALLY want to be a grandmother. If that happens, my high level of happiness is gonna blast off the charts 😉😉

    Lovin' life,

        Leta

A glorious fall morning in Wellington, CO

October 28--What Are You Good At?

Anything you're good at contributes to happiness.  --Bertrand Russell

    The photo of the day with this quote is a spider web sparkling with dewdrops. I have seen such in my own garden, and each one is a stop-everything-and-be-in-awe event. You don't have to like spiders to appreciate what they can do. Their good web work contributes to their happiness and full bellies. 

    Notice that Mr. Russell uses the word "good." He did not say anything you're great at or perfect at. Willingness to learn and try already makes one good at something. I'm gradually exploring different mediums of painting. I've gone from "hell, no way can I paint anything except a wall" to "I'll try it." Over the course of exploration, I found within a love of straight lines and I began painting barn quilts. I'm good at that, and doing such gave me many hours of happiness during the pandemic lock-down. 

    It is, for me, the willingness to open myself to the flow of Spirit through me that makes me good at something (such as writing). That vibrant energy flow is definitely a source of happiness. I would add that the determination of "good at" is a personal decision, and has absolutely nothing to do with anyone else's opinion!

    Good at straight lines, 

        Leta

A traditional barn quilt

When I went for it with no pattern...
my favorite artwork to date (11:11)

October 27--The Best Friends

True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice.  --Ben Johnson

    Our family has been talking about the wedding, now that we've had a couple days to rest. It was not a large crowd, approximately 60 guests. However, we've all agreed that it was a gathering of the very closest friends and relatives. One of the groom's friends flew in from Virginia on the wedding day, and flew back home the next day. That is some "worth and choice." There were others, too, who traveled great distances. Even with 60 folks, the event felt very intimate because of the closeness of the friendships. 

    I've had lots of friends over my lifetime. I have been blessed. Those whom I am still in touch with today are very much of "worth and choice." Johnson's quote tells me that the number of Facebook friends is irrelevant... it's the number of friends we really want to spend time with in person that counts. Amen!

        Leta

Late fall rose blooms,
Wellington, Colorado

October 26--Less Is More

One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few.  --Anne Morrow Lindbergh

    I've had a lot of stuff in my lifetime. I've moved it from place to place. I've cared for it, cleaned it and often ultimately disposed of it. I'm at the stage of life where I don't want more stuff. I have to REALLY love a thing to bring it into my home. Anything I don't really love does not get to stay. Therefore, as Ms. Lindbergh indicates, I find the less stuff to be more beautiful and more appreciated. 

    To be specific to the quote, I have found in some of my beach time a few perfect sand dollars. I framed three of them, and they are a precious reminder of past vacation fun and the perfect beauty of nature. 

    Adding a joy note: I'm officially a mother-in-law! I couldn't be happier with my new daughter-in-law. She is one "beautiful shell on the beach," priceless, a keeper.

    So much joy in my heart, 

        Leta

October 25--Where Is It?!!?

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.  --Albert Camus

    Searching and looking tend to take us outside ourselves. Others may convince us that we don't have what it takes to be happy. We may think that we just need a certain something or someone to complete us. Maybe someday it will all magically become clear and happiness will land on us. Alas, it ain't gonna happen.

    We have everything we need within us to be happy. We did not come into this life unsupported. I believe the Universe (you can call it Spirit, God, HP, or Ralph--you choose) has our backs eternally, and encouraging that indwelling infinite presence to expand as us is the key to happiness and living an abundant life. 

        Got it right here,

            Leta

Be yourself...everyone else is already taken. --Oscar Wilde

The mother-son dance...
infinite happiness!!!