30 Days of Beauty-Day 3: A Child's Laughter

Tonight I was sitting by my grandson, Tyler, while his mother was cooking dinner.  (We take turns cooking, and it was her night.)  I remember how difficult it is to cook when you have very young children.  Tyler is not quite a year old.  He is a cheerful, engaging little boy, but he does not have a long attention span due to his age.  So, I was sitting with him to keep him entertained.

We were singing, clapping, looking at pictures on my iPhone, but after a while, he wanted to be with his mom.  That is when I decided to try a new form of entertainment: putting my mouth on his arm and blowing!  Tyler started giggling.  His laughter was so contagious.  All of us started smiling.  Tyler continued to put his arm out toward me and wait.  As I got closer, the giggling would start, and then he would break out in laughter once I blew on his arm.  It was a beautiful experience and started me thinking about life with my grandchildren.

A month ago, my son and his family moved in with us.  We now have 7 of us living in our house: my husband and myself, our 23 year old son who is in college, our 26 year old son, his wife, their 2 1/2 year old daughter, and their 11 1/2 month old son.  We are a busy household, but it is a lot of fun.  Today's experience reminded me that I now laugh daily.

Hearing a child laugh is truly a thing of beauty!  It is infectious and will undoubtedly bring a smile to your lips. My grandchildren (particularly my granddaughter, Abbey) laugh a lot!  She has such joy in the world around her.  She is at the age when she gives a running commentary of her day.  Now that I see her everyday, I understand most of what she says.  She makes me laugh!

The next time that you are around children-a park, a school, a family's home-take some time to listen to the sound of children's laughter.  I promise it will make you smile and bring you joy.

Have you found your joy today?

30 Days of Joy: Day 22-Thankful

I am very happy, because I saw a lot of people I care about today.  My morning started by spending time with my granddaughter while her parents and 5-day-old brother went in for his first checkup.  She sat on the couch with me and cuddled while we read books and looked at pictures on my iPhone.  I later was able to hold my grandson and check in with my son and his wife on their week as parents of two.  Hugs all around as I left was a perfect ending to my early morning visit.

In the middle part of my day, my husband dropped in for lunch which was a surprise.  I don't usually get hugs in the middle of the day.  Later my younger son was chatting with me as he got ready for work.  He was a lifesaver this morning at 2:00 AM when my consulting files became corrupt just as I finished my project.  He saved the day by restoring almost all of my documents.  I had also, fortunately, printed a copy right before this happened; so between my hard copy and the restored file, I was able to complete my project and submit it to the company today.  Thanks for the save, Dane!

I received a phone call from my good friend and former boss this afternoon with an invitation to get together this weekend.  Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but we were able to share our stories about our newborn grandchildren with promises to make a lunch date in July.

This evening my husband and I met my former co-workers from HR at Brit's Pub.  While he lawn bowled, I spent the evening catching up with these wonderful people I worked with before I retired.  I enjoy them so much and miss seeing them on a daily basis.  I had a lovely evening talking with them about their lives.  I left with many promises to get together again.

After leaving downtown Minneapolis, we drove to the Anoka County Fairgrounds to say hello to our friends who are participating in the Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society.  We wanted to show our support.  I'm so glad we went because it was an awe-inspiring sight.  What a great way to remember loved ones who have lost and won their battle with cancer!  Many hugs were exchanged, and I had a great conversation with dear friends.


I am very thankful that I have such caring people in my life.  This has brought me great joy today.  Thank you to everyone who shares their lives with me.





Have you found your joy today?

30 Day of Joy: Day 19-Giving

Today I want to talk about the joy of giving.  I think that giving means a lot of different things.  If you look at the definition, giving means:

to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; bestow: to give a birthday present to someone.

I think that there are a lot of interpretations.  Many people volunteer for organizations.  During the holidays and at occasions, we give presents to one another.  I have been thinking about examples of giving that I have seen in the last few days.

I believe that as parents we practice the art of giving with our children.  As our children become adults, we are careful to find ways to continue that giving as they exert their adulthood and navigate their way as adults.  This usually means that we parents give in areas of our talent.  My daughter-in-law is very lucky that her mother is a nurse in the obstetrics unit at the hospital where she labored.  Her mother was wonderful in ensuring that her daughter got the best care and support she needed during delivery.  This was a unique talent that she was able to provide for her daughter.  I think that this was a wonderful example of giving from parent to adult child.  She is also an exceptional cook and has prepared many meals for their freezer so that they have food readily at hand.  I believe that she is a wise mother who trusts her daughter to care for the baby and herself while offering her support in a meaningful way.  What a great mother to have!

Since the other grandmother was with her daughter during delivery, I was with our granddaughter.  She is very comfortable with both of us.  However, I don't possess the same skillset that her other grandmother does.  I knew it was important for my son to know that their daughter was secure and taken care of during this whole process.  So, I was able to give him comfort by agreeing to be there for my granddaughter.  I feel like this was a team effort with both grandmothers giving what was needed to our children.

I think that we were all very pleased to see how my granddaughter has welcomed her little brother.  She smiles, points at him, and says, "A baby!" with such excitement.  She gives him her blanket and favorite cuddly toy to comfort him.  For a 21 month old, her spirit of giving is inspiring.  How wonderful this world would be if we all gave so readily and with such love!

To me, the gift of a person's time is the most precious form of giving.  I think that it is often the hardest in the times in which we live.  When I think back to the years when my children were very young and I was working, what they wanted most from me was my time.  They needed me to be present in their world focused on them.  I always made this a priority.  There were many times when my house was a mess and I was exhausted, but I took the time to be with them.  Now that they are adults, I find that this has turned around and that the time they spend with me is the greatest gift they can give to me.

I have written a lot about my older son over the last few days, but I need to thank my younger son.  He lives at home with us while going to college and is working at Canterbury Park again this summer in their video department.  (Third year!)  He is so giving of his time.  There are many nights that we watch shows together and talk about technology.  He is the one who has stayed up with me after I was injured to make sure that I was okay or to get me medication.  I thoroughly enjoy being with him, listening to him, learning from him, and talking with him.  His form of giving is one that I value very highly, and I love him for it!

I am a very fortunate woman in the family I have and the giving I experience because of them  This giving and receiving brings me tremendous joy.  I will continue to look for ways to give to my family and friends and to receive the joy that comes with it.  What about you?

Have you found your joy today?

30 Days of Joy: Day 18-Children

Needless to say, I have been thinking about children a lot lately.  This probably comes as no surprise if you read my post on June 17.  On that day, my grandson was born, and I was spending my day with my granddaughter.  She and I had a lot of fun together: watching Elmo on Sesame Street, playing zoo animals, singing songs, dancing to music, reading books, and building block towers.  During our time together, I got a lot of cuddles and kisses.  She also learned how to drink out of a straw because she liked grandma's cup with straw so much.

I believe that children epitomize joy!  It starts with the tremendous joy that we feel when they are born.  I remember how happy I was when my boys were born, and the births of my grandchildren have been joyous occasions.  I have always felt that the birth of a baby is such a miraculous event.  Meeting my grandson was a wonderful experience Sunday evening!

While having children is a joy-filled experience, children have such genuine joy about life.  My granddaughter laughs very easily.  Everything is exciting, interesting, and new.  She wakes up each day with a smile on her face-ready for new things.  As I mentioned, this weekend she learned how to drink using a straw.  Her delight in her accomplishment was evident as she laughed and clapped after each sip.  Her joy is obvious, natural, and spontaneous.  As parents, we watch our children explore the world, accomplish new things, and grow into adults.  While labor intensive and fraught with turmoil, tears and anxiety, this process ultimately brings us tremendous joy.

I now have the pleasure of watching my grown son as a parent.  His joy at the birth of his son and reuniting with his daughter makes me very happy, and his love and care for his wife and children makes me very proud.  I think that he is a wonderful young man and am pleased that he has given his son his name, Andrew, as a middle name.  Naming your child is a decision that parents agonize over as they await the birth of their baby.  My son and his wife have known for some time now that they were going to give their son Andrew as a middle name.  However, they haven't been sure what the first name should be.  They have had a list of choices but decided to wait to meet him before making a final decision.

Tyler Andrew

After meeting their new son, they made a very courageous, inspiring decision to name him after my son's best friend, Tyler.  This was a difficult decision because this friend died in a car accident a little over a year ago.  I know that my son still feels great sadness at this loss.  However, Tyler was a wonderful young man who was giving, loyal, personable, talented, and loved by many.  I believe that it is a great gift to my grandson to give him this name.  He will now create a new identity for the name, and my son will smile as he watches his new Tyler grow to be a fine young man.  I am filled with joy at this choice, am proud of my son and his wife for the naming of my grandson, and look forward to many hours of joy with my grandchildren. 

Have you found your joy today?

(I was hoping to write this post last night before going to sleep, but I was exhausted; as a result, this post is a bit late.)

30 Days of Joy: Day 9-Technology

Technology is changing our world!  I happen to be someone who loves technology.  I am guessing that anyone reading this blog has an affinity for technology as well.  When I look back over my life, I am amazed at how technology has become such an integral part of our lives.  Just think of the changes:

• From dial phones (even party lines with operators) to cell phones so that we are available for calls at any time or have access to information or assistance at our fingertips.

• From Kodak Instamatics using film to digital cameras where you can take all of the pictures you want and just delete the ones you don't like.

• From typewriters to large main frame computers and keypunch cards to desktop computers, laptops, and tablets.

• From board games to arcades to computer gaming and streaming.

• From paperbacks and hardcover books to e-readers.

• From records to 8 tracks to CDs.

• From movie and drive-in theaters to VCR tapes to DVD to Blueray.

I have seen so many changes, and I think I've done really well to keep up with technology.  I can remember keypunching cards for my husband to create a very simple program to run on the computer.  My fear that I would break something when I first started using computers is amusing to look back on now.  However, I was always interested in learning the newest technology and was fortunate to be surrounded by technology experts.  That was always reassuring and empowering, because I knew that I had someone readily at hand to fix anything that I messed up!  I have many friends who haven't kept up with technology; in fact, they have a fear of it.  I hope to never be like that!  I hope to be a very old lady using the latest technology available for communication, entertainment, and enjoying the latest media-whatever form that might take!

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke

I look ahead and wonder what the next 50 years will bring in the realm of technology.  My granddaughter is only 21 months old and can operate an iPhone with ease.  It is amazing to watch her turn it on, find the photos icon, and surf the pictures.  She carefully puts her finger on the screen to play the videos of herself found there! When she's done, she closes that area and turns off the iPhone.  Incredible!  

This is truly a time of marvelous technology!  My niece just texted me using her new iPad.  This morning started with FaceTime with my son and granddaughter.  It was a great way to start the day as she laughs uproariously when she sees grandma and grandpa on her dad's iPhone!  I believe that we all remain young at heart as long as we remain open to new experiences.  I hope that I will always be open to new forms of technology!  It's so much fun and brings joy to learn new things.  I encourage you to keep finding your joy and staying open to new innovations.  For now...

Have you found your joy today?

30 Days of Joy: Day 8-Hugs

There is nothing as comforting as a hug.  It's interesting to think about how much hugging is an integral part of our world.  When I think back to when I was young, I don't remember hugging being a big part of the culture.  I'm sure that my parents gave me hugs when I was little but that stopped when I became an adolescent; probably at my request!  It was much later when I was grown up that my parents and I started hugging again.  


I love it when I get hugs now.  I have raised my children to hug when we get together-usually as we say goodbye.  My son is teaching his daughter the same tradition.  She melts my heart when she gives me a hug and kiss goodbye.  It is so sweet.  I also smile when I see her hug her parents.  There is nothing more touching than a parent-child hug.  I am guessing that many parents are hugging their graduating seniors this month as a way to share the joy and pride of the moment.  

A mom's hug lasts long after she lets go.
Anonymous

I think all of us need to be touched, and hugging is a healthy way of meeting that need.  I often thought that must have been one of the hardest things for my mother after my father died.  Who fulfilled her need to be touched?  I always made sure to give her lots of hugs when we would get together.  There are many times now when I wish that I could hug my parents one more time.   

My mother loved the cartoon Family Circus.  She always read it in the newspaper, and often asked if I had seen a particular one.  I know that there were many times when the kids in the cartoon were giving their parents hugs.  Bil Keane, the cartoonist, probably designed it that way on purpose according to his philosophy.  Maybe this is one reason she liked it so much!

A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away.
 Bil Keane, "Family Circus"

I have some wonderful friends who give hugs as greetings and goodbyes.  One friend always hugs in such a way that you know she is really treasuring the moment-the sharing, caring of good friends.  I love getting hugs from her!  I think some people are just natural at hugging.  My husband gives hugs freely to people.   Some people are like a hug department: always open!  I am much more reticent if I don't know the person very well, but I am working on it. 


I think that there are a lot of people out there who need a hug.  We often say to someone, "You need a hug!"; then give them one.  We send hugs through Facebook.  However, I believe that there are a lot of lonely people out there who need hugs and aren't getting them.  An inspiring initiative is the Free Hugs Campaign.  I would encourage you to click on the name to visit the website so you can read the story about Juan Mann.  His goal was to "reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives".  Watch the video.  It is amazing and very touching.  

Hugging is a way to bring joy into someone's life.  I hope that you can reach out today and hug someone who needs it.  Maybe the person needing the hug is really you.  Whichever it is, it is certainly a way to experience joy and start a Circle of Joy.  Maybe this one little act will change their day, and they will go on to hug someone else.  Don't forget that just one drop (your hug) can create many ripples in the daily fabric of our lives.  Here is mine to you!

Have you found your joy today?

30 Days of Joy: Day 3-Our Feathered Friends

Have you stopped recently to listen to the birdsong?  It is truly a joyful sound!  When my granddaughter was outside with me the other day, I asked her if she could hear the birds singing.  She stopped and listened intently-then smiled as she looked up into the trees.  So smart!  I hope to teach her to appreciate our feathered friends and to identify them as they come to eat at the feeders. 

Today I need to fill my bird feeders.  I have several on my deck just outside our patio doors.  It is one of my simple pleasures to sit at the kitchen table and watch all of the birds that visit the feeders.  We have a wide variety of finches including goldfinches.

We have several cardinal families that visit daily along with the chickadees and nuthatches.  Sometimes we see  bluejays, cowbirds, or doves.  Once in a while, a bird visits that sends me running for our bird books to try to identify the new species-at least one that I don't recognize!

One of my favorites is the woodpecker who eats the suet we put out.  I have found that if I don't provide the suet, the house is the next target.  So I try to make sure that there is always suet.  We have an understanding.

After I had my cataract surgery, I was amazed at how brightly colored the cardinals were.  Before that time, my vision had dimmed the vibrancy of the colors in the world around me.  I spent a lot of one day just marveling at the beauty of the male cardinals who were eating at our feeders.  

It is fun to watch the bird families that visit as a group.  We also have some birds that are messy as they dig for the specific seeds they like.  The squirrels like it when they visit because they can eat the seeds on the ground.  Others will grab a seed, hold it between their feet, and peck at it to get to the inner section.  Once in a while, we have a bit of drama as birds fight for prime feeding areas.  I now know where the saying "pecking order" comes from.  We see it in action at times.

Once in a while, the squirrels find their ways to the feeders.  They come across the roof of the house or climb the screen door.  Don will scare them off most of the time.  I do occasionally but usually choose to provide food at their level so that they don't feel the need to climb.  The chipmunks and raccoons benefit from that as well.

It's also time to put out my hummingbird feeder.  I saw one yesterday outside our front window which is where I usually hang the feeder.  You have to be quick to see them.  They flit quickly as they seek nectar.  I have planted some cosmos in that area to attract them.  They are fascinating to watch-all of that energy in those quick-moving wings.  Amazing!

I love the slice of nature that the birds and animals in my yard provide.  If you can, take a moment to listen to the birds, watch them in flight, or put out a feeder for them so you can watch them interact with each other.  I find joy daily as the birds and I share our world.  What about you?

Have you found your joy today?