Happiness

There is a song from the play "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" called "Happiness." Happiness is two kinds of ice cream. The song explains that your happiness is "...anyone and anything at all that's loved by you" and explains that happiness is personal.

Here are a few of the lyrics:
HAPPINESS IS FINDING A PENCIL.
PIZZA WITH SAUSAGE
TELLING THE TIME.
HAPPINESS IS LEARNING TO WHISTLE.
TYING YOUR SHOE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
HAPPINESS IS PLAYING THE DRUM IN YOUR OWN SCHOOL BAND.
AND HAPPINESS IS WALKING HAND IN HAND.
HAPPINESS IS TWO KINDS OF ICE CREAM.
KNOWING A SECRET.
CLIMBING A TREE.
HAPPINESS IS FIVE DIFFERENT CRAYONS.
CATCHING A FIREFLY.
SETTING HIM FREE

Happiness is for me is my family, my friends, my job. I watch my son and see his joy at learning various new skills and his joy at them. I am trying to find that joy and happiness that he has. I hope you all know your personal happiness and enjoy it.

Tenacity

Tenacity - the property of being tenacious.
Tenacious - holding together; cohesive; not easily pulled asunder; tough.

I am tenacious. I learned that in life problems can either rip you apart or make you stronger. It is a decision that one makes. It certainly is not easy but I have the power to make that decision. I may worry about my kids and husband and family and friends but I have the power to take that worry and do something positive about it. And that power is mine and it makes me feel ready to take on all that is coming ahead.

There is quote that I shamelessly borrowed from another blog about time is wasted being unhappy and it is so true. My dear mother-in-law is very sick. She is a font of strength and the way she is living right now has been so inspirational. She is concentrating on being happy. The pain and problems make the joy in life all that much more sweet. It is a matter of finding your joy.

I worry

I worry.

I worry about my teenage daughter who believes that you should do what is right, no matter what the personal cost, and has suffered from the mean girls because of it.

I worry about my son off at college because he still wears his rose colored glasses.

I worry about my other son, who will choose a different path that he realize that the road less traveled sometimes makes all the difference.

I worry about my youngest because the world is a scary place.

I worry about my husband who has the weight of the world on his shoulders right now. And the world just got heavier.

What I have learned is that worry can take to paths. It can lead to dispair and feelings of futility because you cannot do anything for these problems. Or it can lead to realizing that life is not perfect. The down times of our life make us stronger and more resiliant if we choose that path. And while I worry about the big vague things and little mundane ones I realized that these are a part of life. I have been told that I am a strong person. I would not be the strong person that I am if it was not for the the things that I have endured. I would love to have a magic wand to make my loved ones not go through these things but I realize that the best gift I can give them is to show them that life goes on and you will survive and even thrive. But this does not prevent me from worrying still.

Continuing Education

I am taking a photoshop course online. I have a ton of pictures with the dog and the kids that need red eyes removed. However, when I try to do it I mess up. I am now working on lesson 4 which is undo. Being a teacher, it is very interesting being on the other side of the desk. Online is also strange. I cannot jump up and down and get my question answered without going through the basics.

I am also taking a photography class through continuing education. We are doing this together. It guarantees one date night per week.

I am trying to expand my horizons. There have been so many things that I have wanted to do in my life that I have put off. With good reasons but things have been put off just them same. It is now time to stop putting off. I am also trying to take more pictures both with my point and shoot and with my digital rebel slr. I also joined a gym. Just part of the not putting off and my continuing education.

We will see

Ok, I set up a blog.