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Abundance

“Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend." - Sarah Ban Breathnach

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Feeling Happy

Thank you, Forgetful Girl, for nominating me for this prestigious and mood lifting award!

The rules:
1.)When you have received this award you must thank the person that awarded you this in the new post.

2.) Name 10 things that make you happy
3.) Pass this award onto other bloggers and inform the winners


So, without further ado, here are ten things, in no particular order, that make me happy.

1. The sound of my kids' laughter. I know I've mentioned this before, but there's just something about having a relaxed, easy feel in our home and hearing my kids' deep belly laughs that reassures me. I have felt how much CFS has handcuffed me as a parent, and it's good to know that they aren't that screwed up by it.

2. Making love to my husband, in all its various forms.

3. The beach. I have so many, thousands, of memories surrounding the beach, and all of them are perfect happiness.

4. Roasted marshmallows. My dad taught me how to make the perfect roasted marshmallow: finding the best coals, turning it around just right so it never catches on fire, ending up with a beautiful marshmallow brown and bubbly and crispy on the outside and a delicious gooey mess on the inside.

5. Sticky rice and mango. My husband and I went to a Thai restaurant for the first time on our 10th anniversary (many moons ago). We were stuffed, but the waitress was insistent to the point of rudeness that we try this dessert. It was pure heaven! It has never tasted quite as wonderful since, but I enjoy the quest to find that perfection again.

6. Wildflowers. Such surprising color in the most unlikely of places.

7. Reading. I almost said "reading a good book," but the bad ones are almost as fun, too!

8. Writing a scene and capturing the perfect emotion. The rest of writing can be torture, but getting something just right is exhilarating.

9. Sunshine and blue skies. There's a reason I live in Southern California! I can't stand the gray blah of winter elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, I know the snow is really pretty... the first day. It just gets old fast.

10. Learning. It is my safety blanket and muse. The first thing I did when I suspected I had CFS was research everything I could. It was comforting to me, giving me a (perhaps false) sense of control. I also love that "aha!" moment when something clicks and makes sense. For example, I just learned that the reason I hated The Lord of the Rings was because I'm not a milieu person. Go figure!

I could go on -- and I will, just one more thing. My blogger friends make me happy. I couldn't survive this illness without you. You inspire me, give me hope, teach me, and amaze me. There is so much strength and compassion in this community, and I lean on you more than you know.

I'm going to pass this award on to a few people new to our blog community that I've recently discovered.

Alison at blog Wormwood
Lee Lee at CFS 'n' gay
Chris at sickandtired
Alex at Life with ME/CFS (aka the Cabbage Stalk)

10 comments:

Renee said...

Wonderful Shelli!!!! Such fun to read and learning...I did not list that one but it is at the top of my list too!
That dessert sounds yummy...
Thank you Shelli for all your prayers...such a comfort....I do agree with you 100% our blogging friends are gifts beyond measure ~ you included. God bless.

Lee Lee said...

Yah!!! Thanks Shelli, I will start preparing my list !!

Dominique said...

Congratulations! Well deserved! I love your list. Beaches and books and sunshine! Who would love that!

I also loved that you nominated Chris. That was really nice!

Have a great weekend!

Dusty Bogwrangler said...

An awesome list Shelli, I have enjoyed reading everyone's lists so much. I especially liked your no.10. I realised it should have been on my list. I think learning is one of the things that makes us human. There is always something left to learn.

ChrisMooney78 said...

Shelli- Thank you very much! Keep your eyes peeled for my list, coming soon....

Alison said...

Aw, lovely! But what is a milieu person? I never read The Lord of the Rings because getting through The Hobbit was such a chore. I don't think I've ever been less captivated by a movie either. Maybe I'm not a milieu person either?

Alison said...

Agh, almost forgot, thanks for the nomination! Brain fog moment, or maybe I'm just up too late.

Shelli said...

According to Orson Scott Card, a milieu story is one that has a lot of detail and transports you to a new world. They spend a lot of time on setting and scenery. I much prefer character and action!

Unknown said...

Agree with the beach. So peaceful!

Toni said...

Great list, Shelli. I love #10. Learning. I think that's what's kept me going during nine years of illness. You can learn from anywhere -- from the bed is as good a place as anywhere to learn new things!

Thanks for the list.