For some to-be-explored-further-later reason, these blogs often pull me towards “Happiness”. This is the time of life when we have the freedom to be happy. If we’re not happy now, when do we begin?
I thought I’d jot down what makes me happy. It wasn’t as simple as I thought and took longer than I expected. Some items crept onto my list that were simply maintenance activities, such as doing the dishes, folding laundry, grocery shopping, or vacuuming. I realize how much pleasure I get from these mostly mindless but familiar actions, so my original list was pretty much a dump of everything I do, plus things I might like to do. I cut it down by checking what truly makes me feel good, that bring me joy.
Here is my (still-working-on-it) “What Makes Barry Happy” list. It’s a little bit rank-ordered, but I soon gave up on that. Enjoyment, happiness, or pleasure don’t sort neatly.
Barry’s Happiness List
- The happiness of simply being alive — whether or not I’m conscious of it.
- Contemplating this remarkable time of life.
- Being with my children and their families.
- Playing with my grandchildren.
- Hiking/walking/cycling with friends.
- Helping people; children and adults.
- Watching little children, particularly when they are with a parent.
- Talking with friends.
- Volunteering — building children’s confidence in reading and writing (two mornings a week), and leading a monthly Alzheimer’s caregiver support group.
- Reading – fiction and nonfiction (and my local library book club).
- Writing — my recent book, this current blog, and reflections on our upside-down culture.
- Listening to music, especially the period from 1820 to 1930, and particularly the piano.
- Household chores, vacuuming, ironing, dishes.
- Brewing and sipping my morning lattes (2). Coffee.
- Puttering around on the Internet, exploring whatever tickles my fancy. Discovering.
- Cooking. Every meal is a little different, with fun surprises. Sometimes I’ll try new things — like making paella and preparing an octopus after returning from Greece and Sicily.
- Ceramics — throwing and decorating ceramic pots, and using them exclusively when I prepare food.
- Working out at the gym, and talking with friends there. It’s my 31st year of three-times-a-week. Swimming is a form of meditation.
- Traveling — visiting foreign countries and cultures. Last year Spain. This year Greece and Sicily. Next year?
- Snorkeling and SCUBA diving in tropical water. (Not sure about the SCUBA piece anymore as my stamina isn’t what it used to be. Similarly, skiing would’ve been high on this list, but no longer.)
- Enjoying memories.
- Sitting on my back deck in the sun, meditating, and watching my fish, plants, the birds, and the creek.
- Making lists?
Your list is yours. If you find a particularly interesting surprise, please pass it along. I’d be delighted to hear.
I welcome your comments or suggestions.
Thank you for visiting,
me, Barry Phegan
FYI: I recently joined Feedspot. It lists websites grouped by subject, https://blog.feedspot.com/senior_blogs/
