ShootingStar1

and give us that little pause, that breath of peace, in our cluttered lives...

What are yours?

This morning I took time out from the spider-web of financial documents that my attorney is requiring and did something peaceful that made me smile.

This morning, I planted 8 pots of paperwhites to force into flowering in time for Thanksgiving through Christmas.

I will give them as early Christmas gifts.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have added the stuff I needed to my errand list. Clay pots and saucers at close-out at Home Depot. I've used metal champagne buckets on sale, or plastic flower pots - only cost $3/set.

Then I checked the web and found cheap Ziva paperwhites, and ordered them, $1/bulb, 3 bulbs/pot.

Bought soil, and today I put them together. Took about an hour total, about $7 each, and I have the pleasure of watching my Christmas presents grow! People love them, and it makes me very very happy to give.

What little things do you folks do that transport you, for a little moment, into a happier, peaceful, more normal place?

ShootingStar1

celticgenes

Most mornings, I spend at least a few moments saying good morning to my two dogs. I give them some rubs & scratches. Makes me feel good, makes them feel good!

HopefulmomtoD

Took a nice walk and enjoyed the fall colors.

Confetti

In this $hit storm that has become my life I take time each morning to hug my girls. Making them feel extra love first thing makes me feel it too and helps my day get off to a great start. When lawyers, and phones calls from STBXAH,and in law rants, and town gossip start to weigh me down, I tickle my baby. You absolutely cannot be in a bad mood when you hear children laughing especially when it's a baby. There is something completely joyous about the laughter of a baby.

I also love to listen to music and find it to be an instant mood changer (provided it isn't something guilt inducing such as Tammy wynette's 'Stand by your man' or something....thank goodness for iPod playlists where I don't have to hear that garbage!).

Lynnrae2

A friend of mine who is recently going through an ugly divorce from a man of addiction said something to me the other day. I found it to be kind of interesting.

She has 4 dogs and loves them greatly. She said.

"Did you realize what the word dog is spelled backward It is God.....and think about how dogs act. They love you no matter what. They are always happy to see you, rather it has been 10 minutes or three days." They are just love and isnt that what God is?"


I thought that was kind of a neat spin on things!!!!!!!

Katiekate

Me too, my pup always brings a smile to my face and in my heart.

When I get turned upside down , its to the beach we go.

I say to her at least once a day, What would I do without you???

She has been a huge part of my recovery, I am so grateful.

and yes, she is spoiled rotten!!!! lol

4MyBoys

After the rush of getting myself and the two boys ready for school. I always give them each a kiss before I start the car and tell them I love them.

As we back out of the driveway, I always ask, "Who is going to have good today?" Everyone yells, "I am!" and we raise our hands....

We all tell our house, "Bye little house." (We love our little safe, comfy house. 2 bedroom with one bath. We had to leave behind a 4 bedroom with 2 1/2 bath on 40 acres, custom home. But you know what? They love our little house and ask to never have to move!)

These little moments always ground me and get my day started off right!

4MyBoys

MamaKit

I bury my nose in my youngest boy's sweet smelling soft curly hair. He always seems to smell so good. Or, I tiptoe in to their bedroom at night and watch my oldest one sleep. He still has a lovey stuffed dog from when he was a baby which he cuddles. He actually appears to be smiling when he sleeps. He looks so precious I could cry.
Just thinking of this transports me.

CentralOhioDad

One thing I've been able to do that the Wife does not fight me on, is putting my (our) Son to bed every night. Regardless of how crazy he is during the day and up until bedtime, the fact that I read to him every day and then have a few moments of snuggle time prior to putting him to bed is the best time of the day.

MamaKit

(Sorry, hope I'm not hijacking the thread - but I was so taken I had to post)

4myBoys,

I just love your post. Those little rituals are such a comfort and will stick with them forever. So sweet.

We downsized significantly as well. At our previous home, when we would pull in the driveway after a long trip in the car, we would say in a sing-song voice "Here we are!" - a tradition from my childhood.
Just last weekend for the first time since we moved, after a long trip home from a football game - my youngest quietly said it, "Here we are"
My heart felt as though it would burst!

MamaKit

Lulu39

When they were little, as we pulled into the driveway, my boys would say "Home again home again jiggity jig." When they got older they would say "Home again home again piggity guts." These days, because they are teenage boys, they usually just say "piggity guts". Teenage boys, what can you do?

MsPINKAcres

we all have a crazy schedule - so with our granddaughter - it just depends on who is available to pick her up and then the other will call to say I'm on my way . . .

So it got to be a habit to say it's "PawPaw thirty" when MrPink calls to say he is on his way home or it's "ReeRee thirty" when I'm on my way home ~

We are all usually exhausted but it's knowing we are going to all be together soon -makes it a happy time!

looking at my clock it's almost "ReeReeThirty" time for me to go to PinkAcres! yeah!

PINK HUGS!
Rita

firebolt

Hah - on pets:

I found myself in counseling for the first time in my life at 35 - after my first panic attack ever in April. Trying to prevent another one - that sucked.

The counselor told me that serotonin (aside from traumas etc) is a big cause of panic attacks. The experts - whoever they are - evaluated numerous actions and assigned them a numerical value based on their impact on our serotonin levels.

Thinks like hobbies, hanging out with friends, driving, etc etc.

MOST actions ranked below a score of 30 for their impact on our serotonin.

3 Things ranked above 90 - Meditation, Exercise, and - DOGS! I'm going to work on these being my happy place activities - for sure.

Titanic

Sleep.

For me, the joyous moments with my little ones are great but for the bittersweet tears of loss that well up inside me no matter how joyous those moments normally and otherwise would be.

dollydo

4Myboys...I just love what you do, what a wonderful way to start the day!

Me, I belong to a meetup walking club, we met at the beach, walked 3 miles or so in
the sand and then had breakfast on the beach, it was so fun!