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The sunflower presiding over my garden is a volunteer, a seed of one of the dwarf sunflowers I grew last year. It popped up just outside the raised bed while we were away at the beach. I have a soft spot for volunteer plants – it’s like they want to be in our yard – so I let it grow. It grew and grew, up to 6 feet, with a green bud on the top that reminded me of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Feed me! It was a bit creepy, having that blind, green thing over me as I tended the tomato and pepper plants. Then it sprouted buds on the stalk – but still no sign of a flower. Perhaps I had a mutant plant? Luckily, I didn’t cut it down. Patience (and some good advice from our family plant expert) paid off with the huge, beautiful sunflower you see here. I smile every time I see it, I hope you will too.
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 A while ago, I wrote a post about finding the blue button of happiness. It's an old post, but one of my favorites -- if you want to read it, you can check it out here. In this time of social distancing and worry about the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have to look harder for things that make you happy, but they are still out there. Sometimes, they can be really small things that you might normally overlook. Like tiny wildflowers.  Some people might call them weeds, but I was delighted to see that our backyard had tons of tiny surprises this spring (beyond the daffodils, but I planted them so they weren't a true a surprise). With the help of a macro lens, I was able to see how beautiful these really are. I hope you enjoy them, too!    These cute Johnny Jump-ups are volunteers! They made it through some tough conditions, including being in a totally dry planter box for 6 months. I always marvel at the resilience of plants. :) Whether you are quarantined or staying home to avoid catching the Coronavirus, picking up a good book can help you escape reality for a time and alleviate the social isolation you might feel.
Or you could consider it a good opportunity to expand your horizons. Reading can expand your perspective and give you insights into other worlds. There is nothing like seeing the world through another's eyes! Where did this list come from? The five books on this list came from suggestions from readers and friends. It's not meant to be comprehensive, it's more of a starter list, so if you have a book to suggest, I'd like to hear about it. Just leave the title and author in the comments. 1) The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills . I was introduced to this book quite a few years ago in a book club; it has all types of helpful philosophy while remaining interesting to read. The four agreements include: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. It's the how and why one should do these things that make The Four Agreements worth reading and remembering. 2) The Art of Happiness by the Dali Lama. The Art of Happiness is credited with starting the "happiness books" genre, and it remains the cornerstone of the field of positive psychology. Through conversations, stories, and meditations, the Dalai Lama shows how to defeat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity, anger, and discouragement. He explores many facets of everyday life, including relationships, loss, and the pursuit of wealth, to illustrate how to ride through life's obstacles on a deep and abiding source of inner peace. Based on 2,500 years of Buddhist meditations mixed with a healthy dose of common sense, This book has touched countless lives and uplifted spirits around the world -- you could join them! 3) Plain, Honest Men - by Richard Beeman We often hear people talking about the Constitution of the United States. This book illuminates the historical background, conflicts and personalities of the men who wrote it and the compromises that were needed to make the United States possible. 4) Becoming - by Michelle Obama. This is a well written and entertaining book about growing up, striving and being a working mother and political spouse. I wish I had read it earlier in my life, as the way Michelle looks at the world is refreshing. Especially recommend it to smart young women -- of any color or political leaning. 5) A Gentleman from Moscow - by Amor Towles This is the only fiction book on the list, but belongs here as the writing is so eloquent and the story uplifting. Amid the likeable personalities and historical details, the main character, Count Alexander Rostov, is sentenced to live in the Metro hotel for his crime of being a aristocrat. How he is able to master his circumstances makes delightful reading.  I've got a blue button on my hair dryer.
The instructions said that when you push it, negative ions* come out in the air. I have no idea if it really works, but even so, in the morning when I'm drying my hair, sometimes I push the button. And I smile. :) It's automatic -- I don't know if I'm smiling at myself because I'm pushing a button that does nothing, or if it really works. It doesn't matter. Bottom line, I always feel just a little better. So, look for your blue buttons of happiness. They're out there! And smile. Have a great day, Nancy *It's a bit backwards, but negative ions are supposed to make you feel better. They are also produced by waterfalls, which might be why most people find falling water so refreshing. Valentine's Day focuses on love, and especially romantic love. So for those who aren't in a romance, it can be depressing. It was for Sophia. One Valentine's Day, she was newly divorced and working at a new job where she hadn't had a chance to make any friends yet. She walked by the receptionist only to see candies and vases of flowers. The woman in the cube next to her received a dozen roses. Then the guy on the other side spent hours talking about what his girlfriend was going to do for him (a bit too loudly so she couldn't help hearing). So she wrote this post -- something for all of you who don't have a special someone, or whose special someone isn't around or isn't the romantic type. It's also good to read if you're just looking for something uplifting . She titled it -- Things I love that have nothing to do with Valentine's Day. 1) Sunsets over water  2) Sunsets just about anywhere 3) Cherry tress in bloom   4) Birds chirping
5) Daffodils in bloom 6) The way babies smell when they've just had a bath 7) Going for a long walk in a quiet park on a warm spring day 8) And last but not least -- Pushing the publish button on a blog post! Thanks for reading -- I have a hunch that she didn't get them all -- what would you add? Nancy  There is a Verizon commercial where the announcer asks "who wouldn't want more?" My favorite part is when the little girl says, very politely, "no thank you father" when offered another gift. I understand that it's advertising and they want to convey that you get more services. But it started me thinking -- do we really want more? Sometimes more isn't better. For example, marketers are finding out that more content isn't necessarily better. More words don't necessarily add to a poem or story. And have you heard some one say "we have more channels and nothing good to watch"? And more electronic options and social media channels to communicate don't seem to have drawn us together. While it's convenient to be able to video chat with someone, how often do we do it vs. texting? This is even more evident during the holiday season, where the pursuit of more is everywhere. For some it's more entertaining, more cookies, especially more gifts. Pressure is on to buy, buy, buy -- by phone ads, diamond ads, perfume ads, even new cars have bows on them. Because of this, many people feel stressed, overwhelmed or even depressed, depending on their situation in life. Some people might even look like this:  So if you're one of the people that is stressed or sad at the holidays, what can you do?
Take a step back and look around you. Try to do things that inspire you instead of doing things that wear you down.
What do you do to increase your holiday cheer? Please add in the comments. Thank you so much for reading, I wish you the best of the holiday season! Nancy Today's word is Twitterpated.
Do you think it means:
Hint: According to Dictionary.reference.com twitterpated was first used in 1942 in this classic Disney movie. Click here to view the scene. I've got a blue button on my hair dryer. The instructions said that when you push it, negative ions* come out in the air. I have no idea if it really works, but even so, every morning when I'm drying my hair (I start with my head upside down), I push the button and I smile. :) It's automatic -- I don't know if I'm smiling at myself because I'm pushing a button that does nothing, or if it really works. It doesn't matter. Bottom line, I always feel just a little better. So, look for your blue buttons of happiness. They're out there! And smile. Have a great day, Nancy *Negative ions are the good kind -- they are also produced by falling water, like your shower or a waterfall. I think that's why people love waterfalls so much.  |
Nancy MacCreeryInsights on writing, characters, humor and other tidbits from the author of the "Scoops and Schemes" series of novels. Join the conversation on Facebook !
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