What Makes Me Happy Now

The DivaCup has a Happiness Blog Project and they wanted to know how my view of happiness has evolved over time.

What makes me happy now that I am older?

It is sort of a loaded question isn't it? It reminds me that I am, in fact, older.

I'm not old. I'm only 37. But I'm not 16 anymore. I'm not 21 anymore. I'll never be 30 again. Sometimes I get random back pains and my eyesight is going to hell in a handbasket. I don't heal as quickly as I used to. I cannot subsist on 5 hours of sleep a night and gravity has started doing what it does to my body.

That being said, there are some really wonderful things that go along with being a grown up.

I don't have a curfew anymore.

I can afford good beer, the mid-priced olive oil and the soft toiler paper.

I never have to go to middle school again.

What makes me happy now that I am older? Some of the things are the same. Chocolate ice cream still makes me happy. I continue to love football games. Even though I am a parent, I will inevitably be deeply amused by a little kid saying a curse word. I have never stopped loving to sing - opera, folk, choral music, karaoke, whatever. It all brings me joy. I have always loved reading a good book on the beach. My friends and family still make me happy. I have never stopped liking commission checks. I savor the moment when the airplane wheels first leave the ground. I love finding the perfect pair of jeans - the ones that fit just right.

The most shocking thing of all is that I still enjoy going to loud ass heavy metal concerts all these years later. I thought I would grow out of that, but no, they still make me happy.

There are new things too. I love going out to dinner at a nice restaurant and eating whatever is on the chef's menu. Years ago this would have freaked me out. I used to be such a picky eater. Now I will try anything once.

Except snake.

I love the feeling I get when I just took a really great picture.



Since my twins were born I have learned to love silence. I don't get to experience it very often, but I can now get great pleasure out of my moments of peace.

The last thing, the thing that snuck up on me is writing. Writing used to be something I did to pass classes. I wrote because I had to. I have always loved words, and I was giddy the first time I opened up a thesaurus. Now I write for pleasure, as an exercise, for release and because I think that with my words I can make other people happy.

I guess I am a pretty easy target. Many things make me happy.

You want to know what makes me happy now? All of these things and the word "Zamboni".

Part of bringing happiness to your life is simplifying things so you can enjoy it to

the fullest. What makes you happy? How has your view of happiness evolved

over time? The DivaCup offers a simple, worry free, eco-solution to women

worldwide every month. Not a tampon, not a pad, finally a better way!

www.divacup.com. The DivaCup is donating $100 to Choralis

in the honor of "Sarah and the Goon Squad".