Happiness comes and goes. I find myself drifting between its drops. One moment feeling the warmth and comfort of its embrace, the next believing I’ll be stuck in a shady place for the rest of my days.
In the midst of an anger running so deep I nearly could not contain it, I decided to take an impromptu trip to the beach on Saturday night. We didn’t get there until about 7:00 pm. And showed up without swimsuits or towels or buckets with shovels. We just showed up.
We kicked off our shoes.
And my boys ran, laughed and played.
We all felt relief. Freedom. Joy. Happiness.
It’s been a tough few weeks here in Boy Land. I’m barely holding it together.
But I must remember to do more of this:
So we can all have more of these.
Including me.
Keeping little !!! icons in my pocket and in my purse, tucked inside my phone case and in the cupholders of my car, has helped me remember that happiness is everywhere. And small doses are much more readily available than grand events that sweep us off our feet.
This project is intentional. This idea is intentional. I thought I had nothing to say today. But if I squint, I can always find it. I can find the happy moment in my day, in my week. And so can you. Join us, won’t you?
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I love the happiness idea- such a great way to remember that those moments are everywhere!! And, bless Hipstamatic– LOVE the pics!!!
Thanks chicky-doo. Remember that little ditty you wrote about all those damn exclamation points? I TOLD you they would come in handy, mama.
The beach!! Oh how I long for a wonderful day at the beach with my boys.
And even though I’m in a place right now that’s happy and peaceful, I get what you say here. “Being stuck in a shady place for the rest of my days.” My biggest fear right now. So I get you girl!
xo
.-= Christine LaRocque´s last blog ..Everyday !!! =-.
Perfect post for !!!
.-= Mrs.Mayhem´s last blog ..Unconfined Joy =-.
Oh, this week has gone so fast! I haven’t done mine this week *blush*
But you know what? I think you should sell those icons as a sticker set, cos I’d love to carry that around with me everywhere as a reminder.
.-= Hear Mum Roar´s last blog ..Our new playroom =-.
Email me your address, sweet lady, and I’ll gladly send you some!
I forgot my little icons, but I still had some !!! to pull out of my pocket. I’m with you in the shade right now, but we will pull through. ((you))
.-= TheKitchenWitch´s last blog ..Veg-Head Tuesday: The Spectacular Shroom =-.
The pictures are so wonderful.
I also had no !!! to add (to my comments), but, after a day filled with annoyances (don’t ask), fabulous art always brings me back to !!! and then some.
.-= BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Miles to go before you sleep? (Wunderkind on “Work of Art”) =-.
It’s great that you all got out to enjoy the freedom and happiness of the beach. And got some awesome photos, too! I love the idea of this *intentional happiness* – sounds like it’s just what you needed this week. Keeping those little !!! icons in your purse, car, etc.? So !!!. :-)
.-= ShannonL´s last blog ..ConGRADuations! =-.
I love this idea and this post! The beach is just pure happiness isn’t it? What a great mom you are! I’m inspired!
.-= Shawna Cevraini´s last blog ..Cafe Cevraini – 10 Daily Things! =-.
I am LOVING the !!! scribbled in the sand! Great pic.
I love that you carry these icons, the little reminders of intentional happiness, in your pocket. What a great idea. If it’s not readily apparent, all you have to do is dig a little deeper (into your pockets – as your case may be). :)
.-= Justine´s last blog ..Do you eat dog? =-.
Just seeing the !!! in the sand made me sigh with relief.
“And small doses are much more readily available than grand events that sweep us off our feet.The ocean always does that for me. ”
Me too, girl.
Me too.
I need to do that today. We’re in Hubs’ hometown for the funeral of his best friend
so yeah, we need to make a point of looking for the !!! today. I wish my parents / kids would answer the phone.
.-= Cranky Sarah´s last blog ..The passing of a friend =-.
No, you know what? My !!! today is right here on my lap.
Having a nice new little laptop that I can bring along with me on this somber trip and free wifi in the hotel so I can get a chuckle or even a full on laugh from some of the wonderful women here on the net. Thank you!
.-= Cranky Sarah´s last blog ..The passing of a friend =-.
The beach looks amazing. That would be my !!! for the week too, if we lived any where near the water. Other thank dirty lakes and rivers.
.-= Allison @ Alli ‘n Son´s last undefined ..Response cached until Thu 17 @ 21:24 GMT (Refreshes in 46 Minutes) =-.
I love that you just took off and hightailed it to the beach. Those are the kind of moments that your boys will always remember. You are a rock star, lady, and a rocking momma.
xo
.-= Kristen @ Motherese´s last blog ..Savasana =-.
Love the pictures! I need to start to put pictures along with my posts, too!
And you are right. Craptastic weeks DEMAND some intentional happiness, sister! That’s when we need it the most!
Hope things ease up in your testosterone swamp…I totally get it. Really. I do!
.-= Maria´s last blog ..!!!-Intentional Happiness for the week of June 18, 2010 =-.
I am slowly coming out of a funk/fog and seeing your !!! project around. Wonderful idea. Looking for the !!! helps, and having to report out on it is a good kick in the pants to go looking.
.-= Country-Fried Mama´s last blog ..Test Your Knowledge of Toddlerese =-.
Nothing like sand, water and bare feet to bring on the !!!
Way to just pick up and GO!
.-= Liz @ Peace, Love & Guacamole´s last blog ..Welcome…maybe =-.
I adore your !!! papers and on the beach. The beach is normally a !!! moment for me, but we’ve come across 3 water snakes this summer. ick!!! I’m glad it did the trick for you. Sometimes just getting away from it ALL helps. Sometimes it just makes you more stressed. Then “squinting” to find the !!! makes it all worth it. You should get some glasses for that though ;) I’ve been known to barely lift an eyelid to find the !!! when I’m cranky. I’m thankful that I usually shake myself out of it before it gets too funky. So here is to the !!! in life !!!
.-= alita´s last blog ..I’m a !!! Virgin. =-.
Thanks for the reminder…I think we all need it now that school’s out!!
Lovely! Nice work.
.-= 6512 and growing´s last blog ..This Moment =-.
Nothing like a little !!! and a lot of sand to drown out the craptastic! Gorgeous!
.-= Stacia´s last blog ..Haiku Friday =-.
First of all, nothing makes me happier than the beach. There is something about it that no matter how bad things are, I get perspective, joy, freedom…my soul is there.
Secondly, I have been loving these !!!s and it’s been nagging at me to join in. I think it is such a great idea. I don’t know what’s up with me lately…I’ve been so out of it…out of the loop…out of the routine…out of my blogging regularly world. And so I just keep laying in bed at night, thinking about the !!!s I want to do, the 6 Word Fridays I want to try, the posts I have not read, the comments I have not written, the awards I have not addressed or followed up on….
But know that at least for now, at least until I get back on my ass, the !!! may not be showing up literally on my blog, but they’ve been in my head and here and there.