One thing I know, I’m not happy here, but would I be happy anywhere else? …Having been blown sideways by life, or shoved by my parents, we’ve never had the time or privilege to think about what WE want. Carole

Another person I know used the word begloomed to describe himself at his blog, not depressed, but fighting begloom-ment. I thought that was a wonderful word, so descriptive of a general milieu that seems to hang around more often than not.

Maybe we should have the mantra: Life is exhausting. Like the opening like of Scott Peck’s The Road Less Traveled, 25th Anniversary Edition : A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth: Life is difficult.

We didn’t know that in the beginning. Well, maybe some of us knew it earlier than others.

When you are caught in the betwix and between, the sandwich generation, as Carole is, it makes it doubly difficult. She says she is exhausted, and I believe her. I’m exhausted and I only have my kids, as my parents died a number of years ago. On ordinary days I’m not quite so exhausted, but I’ve been knocked off my feet being ill for a couple of days.

It’s not easy being green, Kermit says, and that’s the bottom line for a lot of us.

When I was going through a tough time a number of years ago, I made a conscious effort to bring joy into my life every day. It didn’t have to be big, maybe taking the time for a cup of tea, to honor my feelings where I was in the moment.

Honestly, I’m not like the book on happiness, I don’t always like the process, I like the accomplishment. So when the process is clearly transitional, then I have to get through it as best I can, being my own best advocate. No one knows what I need except me.

I could have written the book Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy as I had to live it for a number of years, prior to when it was written.

If you’re having a difficult day, be sure to take time for yourself in some way. Even if it is squeezed into your day. Another oxymoron. But eventually it will become second nature. Take time to smell the flowers. They will give moments of respite even if life isn’t entirely hunky-dory.

I bought some beautiful magenta tulips the other day at our local grocery store. Growing up in Michigan we had tulips only in our yards. We never cut them or brought them inside. I’d never seen tulips inside the house until at my daughter-in-law’s mother’s house. I loved how they eventually droop over the vase. It took me a long time to know that! And most years the tulips to buy here looked a bit bedraggled. But these spoke to me. After a couple of days they are pretty wide open, but not drooping yet. They add a bright spot of color, as well as give me a sense of vibrancy and happiness every time I look at them.

And I’m feeling better, because I’m writing, and that is always a good sign!

What things do you do for yourself to bring happiness?

Karin

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Joy and happiness, Just thinking