Day 47: Friends

Well, when I wrote my post yesterday I was praising technology for its ability to make one feel loved... I had no idea today would bring in such a opposite effect! Today I received a big dose of 'gut punching' news via text and very easily could have allowed that news to infiltrate my day... And while it still weaves its torturing self throughout my thoughts, tonight I will reflect on how happy I am to have amazing friends when shit hits the fan. Friends who offer amazing hugs and safe spaces for tears to fall... tears I didn't think I'd allow to come... words escaped my lips I hadn't spoken aloud. Friends who offer silent support when they know you're doing your best to keep smiling... Ready to be a shoulder if words need to be shared and just as ready to allow a distraction if that is what is needed. Friends who make random stops when headed home from their work to help a gal out, even if the stop was unsuccessful.  Friends who call just to check in. Friends who have mac and cheese ready so the evening doesn't have to be spent alone. Friends who held space without even realizing their presence was grounding and so appreciated.

Life's always gonna cause waves. Thank you to all my friends who anchored my boat to help it from capsizing  this afternoon... and allowing me to fall asleep tonight feeling supported and loved. 

Day 46: Fortune

Today I was fortunate enough to receive numerous texts from friends around the globe. I'm not sure why but numerous people contacted me today simply to let me know they were thinking of me. It seriously made my heart full with glee each time I received a text. Technology has its pros and cons (like anything else) but being able to let someone across the ocean know that you are on their mind is definitely a thing of beauty. I feel very loved and am extremely grateful to have such wonderful souls in my life. Thank you to you all! 

Mind Blown

Today I took a spontaneous class called Access Consciousness- The Bars.  Yeah, it sounds kinda strange but makes a lot of sense after taking the class and receive The Bars protocol. I'm laying in bed reading the manual we were given written by Gary M. Douglas (the founder) and I really felt inspired by some of the things I read and wanted to share them with you!

First off, I read the following sentence and immediately had to stop reading and create a sign for myself, to hang on my wall next, to my door so I will see each and every day that I walk out of my room:

What if today could be the beginning of something different?

Wow! That is ALWAYS a possibility but now I will be bringing it to my attention every day... and by having it in my awareness I will be looking for things to be different... and where our attention goes, things follow.

Once I attached my spinning brain back into its designated location in my head, I continued reading... only to be spun up again!

We can actually be the kindness towards us that we always hoped someone else would be willing to be towards us. When you're willing to be it for you, when you're willing to demand it for you, the world follows suit.

Day 45: Surprise!

So last night, my co-worker and amazing massage therapist, Sherri mentioned something to me about something called "Access Bars" and she didn't know much of anything about it except a client of hers had mentioned it and there was a class on this being taught today at 10am... and for some reason (that I still can't understand) I decided that it sounded like something I would want to go to with her...????  So I went to my mom's for dinner last night and mentioned that I was thinking of taking a class on "the bars" to her and my mom and I googled it and found a little bit of information and yet, my mom was like, "Yeah, I think I want to go tomorrow also."  ????  

So at 8:30 this morning I call my mom and in a groggy voice (because it is way before 11am), I asked, "So are we really going to this weird thing??" and she said (in an equally groggy before 11am voice), "I don't know. You decide."  Ugggghhh... "I have no idea why but let's go.  Pick me up in 45 minutes." So we head to the address and it's a damn good thing that we ran into Sherri in the parking lot because I would have told my mom to keep on driving...

The class was being held at Affordable Burial and Cremation. 

OMG?!?!?  WTF?!?!?!  

I have to be honest. It took me a good 3 hours to set down my judgements and get past the fact that this class was being held at a cremation station. My mom and I could NOT stop laughing at the sheer oddness of our day. The night before we had never even heard of this and now we are taking a class to learn this protocol with caskets in the adjoining room! BWHAHAHAHA!  :D

But by the end of the day, I was super thrilled I took the class. I think my mom got a lot of healing from the protocols and I learned a new technique to do to any clients who would like to receive Access Consciousness- The Bars.

Some days are full of one surprise after the next.... And if we can just keep moving forward and actively suspend judgements (even in a cremation station massage technique class) we will often find something magical is on the other side of judgement.

Day 44: Familia

Spent the entire day with the familia. It was so incredibly relaxing. I barely got off the sofa! Had so much fun with my goofy little brother. We all spent so much of the day laughing together. We watched The Grinch, twice! Ha! Jim Carrey is the best Grinch ever. 

I got a very wonderful surprise "Merry Christmas " text from a friend I hadn't heard from in a while and that just added even more to an already great day!  So many happy moments crammed into one day.

Life is goooood. 

Day 43: Mitch

One of my favorite people from my past life posted this pic on my facebook page tonight. I busted out in laughter! I'm a huge Mitch Hedburg fan! Direct line to my funny bone, that man has. 

Chillaxin with my fam tonight. Sending each and every one of you big hugs. Cheers! 

From Me to You

For all of you out there...

A pick-you-up....
Squeeze-you-tight...
Spin-you-around...
Make-you-giggle...
Kind of hug...  <3

Day 42: Blessed

Today (and many, many other days) my happiness happened when I walked into "work". Yes, I have to put silly ol' quotation marks around that word because work has such a negative connotation.  "Ugh, I have to go into work." That is such a common phrase. I do not feel like I "work".  I get to spend my hours massaging people and making others feel relaxed, recharged, and happier. What a gift! And on top of that I get to do that at a wonderful place, full of wonderful people. I am so lucky that I get to walk into "work" and am greeted (every, single time) with smiles and hugs. Sometimes, I'm extra lucky and it takes me extra long to get back to my room to set my stuff down because there is a Hug Train. I don't know many individuals that get hugged by every co-worker each time they get to work... and at the end of a day (busy or not) every one is hugged good-bye. And get this! The hugs and smiles are sincere... no kidding. Genuine hugs hello and goodbye.

I am one lucky, lucky kiddo to be welcomed, so wholeheartedly, into the Collins' world. That is fo sho!

Day 41: Room for the unexpected

Winter Solstice. Longest night of the year. Tonight also happened to be a New Moon. I just love celestial line ups. Makes things feel extra special... 

Today I was lucky enough to be invited to a friend's house to eat her food!  :)  Scrumptious baked potato soup for lunch followed by home made cookies. What a friend to have!  Her house was full of animals too, so I got my dog and cat snuggling fix. Always a good thing. 

This evening, to celebrate the Solstice, I went on a spontaneous 2.5 mile late night hike through snow covered trees. Freshly fallen snow covered the ground and the low cloud coverage made for a hike with no flashlight necessary. It was magical. On the way back to the car I was lucky enough to be serenaded by an owl! Magic on top of Magic! It was the first owl hoots I've heard in Alaska and it made my heart smile. I was glad a last minute hike was enacted or I would have missed out on the owl's song.

Day 40: Interactions

This video is fantastic!! I can not stop laughing! :D 

I really enjoy videos that show strangers interacting with one another. Our media can cause us to think that interacting with ones we don't know can lead to all sorts of negative incidences... I love when non-media videos show the exact opposite. We humans are complicated, complex, messy creatures... But I think a lot of that has to do with really just being scared of the unknown. And strangers are unknown to us... Only one way to change that! 

And this kid pulled a unique twist to that step.... Narrating strangers! Love this!!!

And I really like his voice! Added bonus.  :)

Day 39: Lesson Learned

Since I've been in the "Get out of my Comfort Zone" mode for however long now... I figured I'd give something else a go. Today I decided to give morning yoga a try. Let's back up... So last night, I went and had tea with a friend. Yes, it was herbal tea with zero caffeine because I act like a crack head when I drink caffeinated beverages. The conversation was light and fun and while asking for a refill on hot water, the tea guy (?) jumped in on the bubbly convo and pulled us right into a trap! He was hell bent on making us 3 samples of green tea, "to expand your horizons and leave you with an unforgettable experience in a cup of tea"... Who could turn that down?? And let's be honest, we don't always make the best choices in the middle of a Fun High... so when Caleb (the tea guy (?)) brought out three different cups of green tea, I willing had my share of tastings... Yes- I was up til at least 2:30 this morning and had already planned my early morning yoga excursion. 

I am proud to say I actually did get up this morning! I forced myself, begrudgingly, out of bed and walked my sleepy butt into a delicious 105 degree room. 90 minutes later, I was convinced that 8pm yoga is really my cup of tea ;)

I had just enough time to scarf down a cup of oatmeal before heading to Kung Fu class... I quickly realized that my usual order of Fu in the noontime and yoga at night was definitely the way to go... too friggin late now! Class was brutal. My body was freezing. My muscles were defiant. My stomach was starving. The Beast was not satiated by my meager attempt with the oatmeal. Never, ever a good thing. It was a rough class.

I am so happy to be curled up in bed with rest and recuperation in my immediate future. Sometimes happiness is falling into bed... after a long day of doing things in the wrong order. Lesson learned! 

Day 38 of Happy: Insights

This article "What it Means to Have the Heart of an Empath" is like a window into my soul... Wow!! Have you ever read something and thought "Is this me writing to me??" cause damn! That just happened. Some lines summed me up so perfectly it was like someone was writing down a description of me for me to see:

'You enter rooms filled with strangers and feel suffocated by the invisible sparks of electricity flickering in the air.'

'No one has ever done you wrong, no matter how bad the crime, without you [taking the time to] understanding why they did so.'

'Everyone and everything has a story you’re dying to memorize.'

I believe this wholeheartedly! I love getting to know people. I love learning their story. It might be one of my most favorite things in life. I find it fascinating what words people use when talking about their lives (I used lives on purpose. Some people believe they've lived numerous lives... and other people have lived many lives within this one life). I feel like if there is ever a misunderstanding between two people, if each of them would sit down with the intention of actually hearing what the other person is saying (and not sitting down to make the other person understand their side of the story), then a lot could be accomplished! 

"When we reveal more, we have less to hide. When we have less to hide, we are less worried about being found out. When we are less worried about being found out, we can pay better attention to someone else. In this way, telling the truth makes intimacy and freedom possible." ~ Radical Honesty

Day 37: First Step

Stepping outside of our comfort zones can sometimes lead to awesome "high on life" moments! Tonight I went to my first Israeli Krav Maga class: "Battle-tested and street-proven, Israeli Krav Maga is the Israel Defense Force's official self-defense and close-quarters-combat system developed for pure survival"... http://www.israelikravmagaalaska.com/

Sounds crazy intimidating, right?!?!?! I have never been to a self-defense class before, let alone a close-quarters combat system class... yipes! What the heck am I thinking? I was so incredibly nervous. I was picturing a class full of testosterone pumped men eager to beat the pulp out of the punching bag. *gulp* If you feel up to it, Google Krav Maga and watch a couple youtube videos. They will scare the crap out of you! Well, that's what happened to me, at least.

Last week, I had mentioned the class to one of my friends in my Kung Fu class and he totally talked the Krav class up and said that I would totally be able to handle it... So with that little nudge of encouragement... and the "I'll come too!" from three other friends, I had the support system I needed to make the important step: the first one.

I let the "I got yo back!" voice in my head remind me that if I just take the steps to try out something new, then I can consider myself a success. I enjoy that voice so much more than the "what are you thinking? you're not good enough" punk that shows up at extremely inopportune times.

So with my encouraging internal voice, my friends to meet me there, and a big breath of courage I walked into my first Krav class. What a surprise! The two hours flew by!! I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a ton. The instructor was awesome. There wasn't a single testosterone laden man in the room. In the first class, I learned very practical and effective methods and feel more confident in close quarters with someone and more grounded in myself.

Now this is the part where I get a little caught up in expressing via words things I have a hard time even explaining in my own head... but I shall do my best to express how I felt after class tonight. Bear with me....

I'm fairly speechless and pretty surprised that I could feel so different after just one class. I had to keep checking in with myself, like, "Are you seriously feeling more self-confident or are you just crazy?" (That might be the 'asshole' voice asking the questions).... :)

After class I definitely had a "high on life" feeling. I felt very centered within myself. I felt a new feeling of self-confidence... different then I've felt before. I felt like I could speak more directly and more self-assuredly than usual. Well, bluntly put, I guess I felt like a bad ass! :)  ...  And that was after just one class. I'm not saying I was out looking to pick fights to try out my techniques by any stretch of the imagination. HA! I was just amazed that I could feel so centered within myself after just 2 hours. I'm not even sure what we did in class that triggered this shift. I don't know if some hormones were initiated based on some of the moves or if it was a fluke. All I know is that I am proud of myself for taking a leap into the unknown and I am happy that I really enjoyed the class! Already looking forward to my next one! :)

Day 36: Unity

I truly enjoy the camaraderie that is starting to really take form in my kung fu class. It's taken a bit to really become noticeable but over the past couple weeks, a shift is definitely occurring. It is always so nice to walk into a room and feel genuinely greeted by others, especially when that room is where you're going to get your ass kicked! :)

I definitely find it intriguing how each unique energy brings a new dynamic to the class. I feel like we're starting to know each others strengths and weaknesses. In a martial arts class, one might expect there to be a lot of competition... I find it extremely refreshing that in this group, that isn't the case. We are becoming aware of each person's weaknesses and it seems like the group, as a whole, is supportive opposed to competitive. Last week I noticed that there were significant chunks of time where it felt like we were all moving as one unit. The energy in the room felt very unified and cohesive. On certain days, it seems like if one of us is having a really sluggish, rough class, we all are. Is it possible that our energies are synching up and we all arrive to class in a depleted energy state, even though our lives are all very different outside of class? I don't know...

I'm not sure I have ever experienced a group dynamic like this before. I don't know if it's a martial arts thing or if it just happens to be this particular group of personalities that have migrated to the same space and time each week, but I am really enjoying it.

Day 35: Direction

 You know life is heading in the right direction when this is a gift from a friend. I think maybe someday I'll be able to call myself a runner! Especially if my friends are already thinking it... talk about support!

The past two years have definitely rocked my world... and I can't honestly say, "Oh yes! I am so thankful and happy to have gone through that shit storm"... But I do know that I am stronger and a different person then the girl I was before the shit storm... and I can honestly say, "Yes, I am thankful for where I am in this moment." I enjoy using my body in ways I never imagined I could... and I am reallllly looking forward to becoming even more comfortable in my new life.... and the thought of being able to someday say (and feel) "Yeah, I'm a runner" is pretty exciting.  :)

Day 34: Belly laughs

Today was a mellow day. I appreciate these days so much now that I seem to find myself ALWAYS doing something... I met up with my mom and brother for lunch and we were all a bit on the grouchy side. Life's been a real kick in the ass for my mom this month and our Christmas spirit is definitely on Level: Grinch. After eating, my brother and I headed to a nursery to smell Christmas trees to lift our spirits.... ha! We had zero intention of buying a tree but it did smell absolutely divine in the green house and the trees were so soft. We had a blast making each other laugh as we walked through the rows of trees. I love this kid.

Do you happen to have a few specific people in your life that seem to have a direct line to your funny bone?? Now, as most of you know, I am a person who can definitely let out a few laughs, ok ok... I laugh a lot. Who am I trying to kid??? But there is a particular type of humor that really makes my laughter come from the bottom of my soul... I was lucky enough to have a good handful of those laughs today, as well. It just might have helped this Grinch's heart grow two sizes... maybe......  ;)

Day 33 - That's My Jam!

Day 33/100... As a side note, 33 happens to be one of my favorite numbers so there's a side dish of happy for you. :)

My shout out today goes to music… What would life be like without music?! It fascinates me how music can have such a drastic effect on our moods! It also amazes me how a song can be powerfully connected with a memory and how with the first four beats at the intro of a song, you can find yourself in high school all over again. I have some songs on my playlist on my phone that I can listen to 30 times in a row and others I skip regularly but never actually remove them cause sometimes I'm in the right mood for that one specific song.

Tonight I will share with you my current top four songs. I was introduced to Trevor Hall about a year ago and am not sure how I lived my previous 30 years without him in my life!! He is my most favorite singer ever. I feel like his music has a direct link to my soul and takes me to a different place and I am so thankful for his magic.

The first video is a song called Chapter of the Forest… There are certain lyrics in the song that say Hara Narmada. Hara is translated as 'hail' and Narmada is a river in India. To me these lyrics are saying 'Honor the essence of the river'.... 

The second video is also by Trevor Hall and it is called Te Amo.... I absolutely love the acoustic version of this song. 

The third one is a more upbeat song by Clean Bandit called Come Over. It makes me jam out in my car every day. :) I also totally jam out to the last song too! It's called Jubel by Klingande...  I love a song that makes me move beyond my control. 

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

Day 32/100 Kung Fooey!

Today I had an extra long Kung Fu class... Instead of 1.5 hours, it was 3 hours long!!  Not gonna lie, I was a bit anxious about how I would hold up. A buddy in class told me that since today was the final, I would be graded on how hard I worked from the very beginning. "Don't take it easy because it's a 3 hour class. Give it your all starting at minute 1." Crap.

So starting with minute 1, I was determined to do the best I could until the last minute ticked by. It's amazing what a determined mindset will give you. I did better in this class then I've done in any other. I didn't rest during the 150+ leg lifts, I finished first in the sprints at the end of the 'warm up', and I had a blast during the sparring and take down exercises. The three hours flew by and at the end, I was bummed it was over. I think some endorphins musta kicked in on hour 2.5 as well, because I have been full of energy and happiness the reminder of the day and I wish all the class could be 3 hours long. 

What is happening to me?!?!?? Hahahaha!

Day 31/100

So this post may seem a bit bass ackwards... But I had a major melt down during lunch today. Ladies out there should understand, not sure about the fellas... But there are times when I can tell that a necessary melt down is approaching.... I think the combo of yoga last night and a stenuous kung fu class and a friend genuinely saying, 'So what are you thinking?' was the catalyst for the melt down.

I was trying so hard to work through my stuff without melting this time. Fail. Ha! It was so nice to hear some validation from my friend too. "Well, Chels... That's some big stuff. Why didn't you call me sooner instead of stock piling all of this?" Mainly cause I feel like a big baby and I should be able to not be effected. "Um, you are human. And that's some big stuff, silly."

Whew. Maybe I'm not such a big baby after all?

Yes, I am aware that this is a happiness post.... I'm rounding my way there. :)
So after my super silly sob session over sushi, I have to admit that I felt very happy to have a friend who was available for an impromptu melt down.

Sometimes we don't realize the load we are carrying until we find a safe space to start setting stuff down.

Day 30

Day 30/100 of Happy

A yoga teacher that can make you laugh... when you are sweating buckets in 105 degree room, it is awesome when the mood gets lightened because the teacher isn't afraid to crack a few jokes and get the whole class laughing. Makes the stinging from the sweat in your eyes lessen a little, too.

Tried a new Bikram class tonight and was thrilled at the new teacher. Her energy was upbeat, she strayed from the script enough to throw a few jokes around, and she even turned on the fans for a few minutes! 

Why Trust is Worth It

I have watched the video below a handful of times over the past year. It brings up so many good points. 

Trust is defined as this:

: to believe that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc. : to have confidence in (someone or something)
: to believe that something is true or correct

: to hope or expect that something is true or will happen

For some reason I feel like...

: Terrifying

...should be added to list above.  :)

Every single person on this planet has had their trust tested. For some, that is a continuous lesson throughout their life.

In some ways, I feel like trust is the undercurrent of all of life. In practically every moment, we are asked to trust. We trust our feet to carry us where we need to go. We trust our vehicles to get us from point A to point B, safely. We trust airplanes and buses and boats. We trust the food that is placed before us, the water we put in our bodies. We trust our business partners, our friends, our family. We have to trust ourselves. And trust in life itself.

We learn who can be trusted... and who can't be trusted. And even some of those who can't be trusted, we continue to try to trust them again and again and again... sometimes. 

But what a precarious balance we have to find with someone. It's like this slow unfolding of ourselves. We have so many different types of relationships in our day to day lives. Who are the lucky ones that we actually let way in? I've had a lot of conversations regarding this topic, because as some of you know, I'm not one for small talk. I like to get to know someone, the real person behind the "Oh, isn't this weather great" front we all have to wear around. A lot of these conversations have a very similar theme. Most people feel that they have to put up a front when getting to know someone. "If I wear my heart on my sleeve, I will get hurt." "Someone needs to earn my trust. I'm not going to give it to them willingly. I don't want to be hurt."  "It's safer to keep my guard up for awhile until I really get to know someone. Then I might let it down, one brick at a time."

I have to start by saying, I totally understand why people feel this way. I have definitely been through the Hard Knocks my fair share of times. And yet... something about this doesn't make sense to me. If everyone is walking around with their guard up, expecting everyone to hurt them... then how is anyone getting to know anyone?  I think each new moment with someone, whether we've known them 10 minutes or 10 years, is an opportunity for us to decide to be open. To trust.  It is a constant choice we get to make. There are absolutely no guarantees in life about not getting hurt by someone. Even if you have known the person for 10 years, the possibility of things shifting is always there.

I guess I'm kind of a weirdo. I think I approach relationships, of all natures, knowing that the chances of feelings getting "all shook up" are about 100%. If trust is established quickly, and I am me from the get go, well then when things get all shaky, we can approach the topic and move through it because a solid foundation of authenticity has been laid. And if things just can't be worked through, because sometimes that is life's lesson as well, then at the end of the relationship (be it business, friendship, romantic, ect), the interaction will have at least been real. It will have been full of feelings and the juiciness of life.

There is something spectacular when you are standing at the precipice of Something in Life and you look to the person next to you and say, "I'll jump, if you jump."   Or you are about to make a big change in your life and you look to Life and say "I'll jump, if you jump".     Is that a terrifying place?? Absolutely!

But I guess that's my answer to Why Trust is Worth It..... because that is where life is Fully Lived.

Day 29 Small Stuff

Day 29/100 of Happy

Sometimes it's the small things in life that create so much happiness... actually often it's the small things in life that we just don't give enough credit to. But I guess that is what this Happy Awareness thing is all about. It makes you pay attention to things that make you happy and often it's the littlest of things.

I'm a total sucker for thoughtfulness. Like "Ice or no ice in your water?"  or "Let me get that door for you" or "I know you like honey, would you want that or syrup?" or someone taking a split second out of their day to give you a compliment. A random smile from a stranger. Telling someone your head is hurting and a few moments later they come back with something to help it. When someone takes time out of their day to send you an email or a text saying "I'm thinking of you" (We often use a variety of different words to express that simple fact-- you crossed my mind and I am sharing it with you by sending this silly sentence which has the underlying message of "i care about you").

Being a massage therapist, I spend my days caring for others. I would have it no other way. I absolutely love taking care of others. Maybe that is why I am such a sap for being taken care of.

I think we all have a place in our hearts that fluctuates from full to empty and that is based on how well we are cared for, by ourselves and by others. We have to charge that battery of ours to keep it going so we can help others. When a person does something thoughtful for me, I can literally feel that little reservoir in my heart start to fill up...

So many little moments we let slip by... unless we choose to hold on to them and we take that split second Moment of Caring from Someone and make it a moment that can last for days, allowing it to continually charge up our reservoirs.

Pay attention today and see if you can take a Moment of Caring from Someone and stretch it out beyond that few seconds in time... see if you can feel that little meter in your heart rise up.   :)

21-28 Days

I am totally slacking here! Eeeeeks! Here's another quick update on the 100 Days of Happy...


Day 21/100 of Happy...

Sometimes in life there are unexpected moments of peace, like you are being hugged by an all encompassing presence.

There are no words capable of expressing the gratitude I feel today. There is only love.<3

Day 22/100...
Sleeping in! Oh gosh it feels amazing to sleep in. Waking up and thinking, "ah, I can go back to sleep".... Happy happy happy

I have been pushing myself pretty damn hard lately... so much Fu, and Yoga, and Dancing, and Running.... Sleep has been getting a backseat and MAN did it feel good to catch up....

Day 23/100... Happy
Interstellar = Mind BLOWN!!!!!!!!!

This movie seriously left me speechless... I wound up taking my mom and brother to it two days later. I have never been able to watch a 3 hour movie practically two days in a row and not get bored the second time through. I could go on and on about this movie but I reallllly don't want to wreck it for anyone who hasn't seen it. GO SEE IT!  :)

Day 24/100 of happiness
Authenticity. There is something wonderful about being around people who are truly themselves. No explanations, no masks, no excuses. There is a comfort that shows up when you are around someone who is completely comfortable with who they are and has no trouble showing that to the world. It is such a gift.

Day 25/100 of happiness...
I heard from my good friend Travis this morning and it made me happy! ... Even though he work me up by calling at 4am. True Travis Brown style.... Nothing's changed after all these years.....  :)

Day 26/100....
The love from a dog is unlike anything else. It doesn't even have to be your own dog, either. Pure, open, unconditional love from a random dog along a hiking trail lifts my already happy mood. Sometimes I wish we greeted other humans the way we can greet a dog.
There I was, hiking along a trail and up ahead I see a big fluffy black dog bounding towards me. I immediately stoop to my knees and welcome this big beautiful creature into my arms and smile and giggle and receive all kinds of love and happiness back.
 

Day 27/100 of happiness...
A friend let me use his Thermacare Heat Wrap before Kung Fu today, because it didn't fit him, and it was like a long consistent hug!!! I can't believe I've lived in AK all these years and haven't used these bad boys. So warm and cozy! Makes life better. I was so bummed when it ran out of heat. It was like my hug turned off.

Day 28/100 of Happiness...
Unexpected re-connections. People in our lives are constantly shifting, moving closer and further as if with the tide. It's always a nice surprise when a quiet connection with someone is opened again... Even if it's brief.
Sometimes it can feel like two ships in the night... But that momentary re-connection is sometimes all we need.