Happiness

"The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them but that they seize us". Ashley Montagu

Oh those moments!

When they happen, they can be mild or they can be intense. They may warm you up; bring a smile to your face and a feeling of contentment to your heart. Or they may fill you with such bliss that you feel you want to burst. You can barely contain the joy.

To some degree I believe you can choose the former. You can actively appreciate your surroundings and your life and feel gratitude for who you are and what you have. Focusing on the positives does bring some happiness.

The intense happiness, the kind that seizes you, is usually created by outside factors. It may be other people bringing you ecstasy. It may be the actions you are taking - the thrill and delight of a rollercoaster perhaps. It may be beautiful scenery, amazing music or captivating artwork. It may the touch of a hand or the look in someone's eyes. It could be the sound of someone else's laughter or the feeling of your own. It isn't always the same nor is it caused by the same factors each time you experience it. It may be loud and flamboyant like a parade or a Las Vegas show. It may also be quiet, the comfort of someone you love beside you, not necessarily speaking, just enjoying the total pleasure of each other's company.

Whatever it is next for you, I hope you cherish the moment as, and after, it seizes you.

Autumn Leaves

Autumn leaves me with mixed feelings.

The joy of the vibrant colours - the reds, the yellows and the oranges, sometimes even pink and fuschia intermixed with greens and browns. Squirrels chase each other with joyful abandon on the telephone lines and through the fallen leaves. Chickadees, cardinals and even robins fly around and play, eating the remaining fruit from the hawthorne outside my window. The crispness of a sunny fall day is wonderful.

Going for a refreshing walk to admire the glowing colours also makes me sad. I am sad and very aware of all the plants who are dying, or hibernating, for this year. Piles of dead leaves (to jump in?), trees already void of greenery, wilted hostas and begonias looking sad and in need of raking and composting. Winter is on its way. The days grow shorter. The temperatures are cooler. Frost appears some mornings.

I love the sun and the warmth. I love the energy of being surrounded by growing plants. Fall means that while there may be sun, the warmth and the growth are now months more away. I am sad for that absence. However if summer were the only season to be experienced, it would no doubt be boring. Four very distinct seasons provide wide varieties of beauty and colours.

So I will put aside my sadness at the decline of this year’s plants, appreciate the beauty of their last days and look forward to next year’s blossoms and growth!