Happiness is a Warm Puppy

When Sarah over at Pink of Perfection suggested, as a July project, creating a "happiness list"--an exercise in remembering what happiness is for each of us (and hopefully an inspiration incorporate more of those things in our lives)--I thought it was a lovely idea. A little cheesy perhaps, but just the thing to counteract the big city cynicism I've been feeling lately.


I made a mental 'note to self' that at some point in July I would sit down and make a list of happy things. Really, I would. Then I promptly forgot all about it. Until this past weekend when I took a few days off and went to visit my grandparents. And what should I find on my grandpa's bookshelf but a book I loved when I was a little girl (and perhaps a cosmic reminder that it's time to devote a little thought to happiness).

The book, just a little booklet really, is called Happiness is a Warm Puppy and was written and illustrated by Charles Schultz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip. And though it is ostensibly written about the little joys of childhood, its sweet statements and charming pictures still strike a chord with me. After all, who doesn't love a brand new box of crayons?


I was re-inspired. Reminiscing as I paged through the book led to more happy thoughts, and all of a sudden I had the beginnings of a list. So, in addition to warm puppies and new crayons, for me happiness is . . .

• a really, really good book (like this one)
  
• coming home to my wonderful husband
  
• summertime
• a tidy apartment
• old photographs of family
• jasmine, lilacs, sweet peas, and gardenias
• dancing
• studying Farsi
• sleeping in
• trying out a new recipe, successfully
  
• the smell of snow in the air
• swimming
• Ariana smiling at you
• a great cup of coffee, and the time to enjoy it
• riding roller coasters
• picking fruit off the tree and eating it right then and there

• spending time with my brothers
• seeing the mountains
  
• planning a vacation
  
• going on vacation
• basically anything to do with vacation
  
• popsicles
• eating something you have grown yourself (even if it is just herbs)
• reorganizing
  
• going for a walk with my camera simply to take pictures
• a packet of wai wai
  
• the smell of basmati rice cooking
• flying over terraced fields into Kathmandu Valley
  
• family
• seeing other people happy
  

Even though it is late in the evening and I have just returned home from a trip, I find that now I have begun my list, it is hard to stop. But it's time for bed, and I think the project has already worked its happy magic on me. I know I'll be going to sleep with a smile on my face. In my own bed.