Being happy

Recently I read a blog update that someone wrote on their birthday, summing up the last year in a (pea)nutshell. I thought that I should do that (‘cos I do like to copy other people’s ideas) but then realized that I would rather do something else; something slightly happier than my recent posts. Despite the last month, that has probably been one of the hardest and saddest of my life, there is so much to be happy about. I thought I would jot down 100 things to be happy about but it turns out that it’s not that easy and rather than make up 72 arbitrary things, I would write down those that came to my mind first and post it before I changed my mind. Some of them relate to my current situation, others to things I have done in the past. So in no particular order (as they come to mind):

I am happy because:

• I have Keith. He is the best thing that ever happened to me. He radiates warmth and comfort and everybody loves him.
• I have fur children. Dexter, Jessie and Troy are a close second to Keith although sometimes I think Keith suspects that Dexter comes first. There is nothing better than the love of a dog. Nothing better at all.
• I have the most amazing friends. They are my family and there are no words to describe how important each person is to me. Maybe my next blog will be a tribute to my friends.
• There is nobody that I hate, and that is not an easy feat these days.
• I live in what I think is one of the most fantastic countries in the world. Wait, I know it is. Canada is resource-rich, has vast amounts of space and land, an incredibly liberal and tolerant attitude to people and unlike South Africa (whether you want to admit it or not), is a much safer and happier environment to live in.
• The squirrels are coming out much to Dexter’s joy.
• The birds have returned from their winter get-away.
• I have no regrets.
• I get to say the things I feel without the fear of consequence.
• I have travelled all over the world. Some of it has been for unbelievable holidays and many of them with friends. I love travelling with people. Other travels have been for work, which I would never have done had someone else not been picking up the bill!
• I have worked in Africa, in the middle of a forest, in a field, near a hut, in a hospital. I’ve seen the true beauty of countries untouched by technology and violence. I have marveled at the brilliance of some of the people I have worked with in those countries.
• I have taught.
• I have learnt.
• I’ve taken drugs and never had a bad trip, only bad comedowns.
• I have always done the work that I love, hardly ever hating the fact that I had to work.
• I’ve flown first class.
• I’ve been to the Sydney Mardi Gras, the Vancouver Mardi Gras and the MQCP parties in Cape Town.
• I’ve drunk Vodka in Russia.
• I’ve ridden a Vespa in Italy (and in Parkhurst too).
• I’ve jumped out of an airplane at 12,000m and free fell for over a minute.
• I’m a qualified Rescue Scuba Diver.
• I’ve swum with dolphins.
• I’ve dived with sharks.
• I’ve eaten spleen in a pita and I enjoyed it.
• I’ve fallen in love, and out of love. I’ve had my heart broken, and I’ve loved again.
• I’ve been betrayed.
• I’ve learnt to trust.
• I’ve betrayed.
• I’ve learnt integrity.
• I’ve been able to support my mother.
• I’ve acted in a play.
• I’ve played the piano.
• I’ve studied all the way to PhD. My mother get’s to say “My son is a doctor” (even though I’m not a real doctor).
• I’ve studied Wicca.
• I’ve studied Reiki.
• I stayed in a Bedouin tent in Israel and rode a Camel.
• I learnt to water-ski and I learnt to ski in the snow.
• I’m sure that if I thought enough (and despite what I said at the start) I could write another 100 of these, but I’m happy to quit while I’m ahead, because as much as I can think of the happy things, I can also think of the sad and this blog is not going there today!

I am happy because I am still young, I have plenty to be thankful for and I have so much still to do. I am happy to be able to experience most of what I want to.

I am happy to be able to share this with you.