Wednesday, October 27, 2010


Zombie!
 I run groups in our Social Rehabilitation program on Wednesday and Thursday.  I do Medication, Symptom Management and Health (not nearly as boring as it sounds) and Interpersonal Relations on Wed and Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) on Thursday.  Mondays and Tuesdays I run a total of 3 medication clinics and deal with all manner of problems and issues that my clients have and need help with.


'Nother zombie!
 I tell you this because I want to share something from today's group.  I chose to do the group on Happiness.  Last week we talked about Suicide and Suicide Survivors and I thought we (I) needed a more positive, upbeat topic this week.  I chose Happiness and when I googled it for some information, this quote came up:

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” ~ Frederick Koenig



This was what I wanted to get across to my clients in a nutshell!  We discussed what Happiness is and how it differs from person to person and day to day.  We talked about how to increase your personal happiness and then we talked about this quote.  It was a good discussion.  The group on the whole was feeling pretty happy today (despite the warm, humid weather and heavy rain).  It surprised me somewhat.  I always expect them to talk about their depression and what makes them unhappy.  I was happy to be surprised (there's that word again). 

I think in general, I am a happy person.  I do try to find good things around me and be glad of them and I try to share this with the people around me.  I have a lot of good things in my life that bring a smile to my face and joy to my soul.

Like these cookies which we found in the store today (actually we had to go to three stores to find them).  I don't ordinarily buy instant foods or 'ready to bake' anything.  I prefer to bake my own treats.  However, I have an unnatural love for these cookies and my Aunt Joan knew this.  She made them for me at Hallowe'en.  I realized a few days ago when I was talking to my brother about dinner on the 31st that there would be no cookies.  This made me very sad.  I found some ready to bake cookies at my regular store but they were exhorbitantly priced and weren't exactly right.  Two stores later, we found them on sale half off and with coupons attached for an additional dollar off. 

I bought cats, pumpkins and ghosts and when I bake them on Sunday afternoon, I'll think of Aunt Joan and smile.  I'll think that wherever she is, she's smiling too.

 It seems like overnight the trees are changing.  As we were driving home tonight, there was color everywhere.  I was slogging through fallen leaves on my walk to work.  I love the sound of crunchy leaves shusssing along as I drag my feet.

My office mate (Paul,with whom I have been sharing an office for 6 years) was telling me that his wife said "I'm not doing Hallowe'en this year.  I've done it for 20 years and I'm not doing it anymore".  I started telling him about how much fun Hallowe'en can be and how it's become a family holiday for my family.  I think he thinks I'm crazy.  I LIKE coming up with odd costumes for the kids.  I enjoy seeing my neighborhood children all dressed up and smiling and running around.  One day maybe I'll grow up and this won't be fun but I'm not thinking it'll be anytime soon.  Hallowe'en appeals to the child in my heart.  I may pull out my 4 foot tall fairy wings and find some glittery makeup and be a fairy for the day. 

Pk is sharpening our knives.  Tomorrow night we'll carve our Jack o' Lantern and put him out front.  I have a ton of votive candles so he'll have plenty of light for a few days.  Our local squirrels will nibble at him bit by bit and that's ok with me.  They have to eat, too.

Otherwise, things are calm here.  I'm working on small knits for holiday gifts and starting to plan Thanksgiving.  One cannot spend too much time contemplating pumpkin pie after all.

11 comments:

Kaye said...

I *love* those cookies! When Dr. Mad Scientist and I were dating (long distance) he baked me a batch of those and mailed them to me. I think they were bats. And I think that's the last time he's ever made cookies! Ha ha!

amy said...

I love that quote about happiness. I feel that often, that perhaps the overarching stuff is piling up, but right in that moment, how could I want anything to be different? Just recently when I tell Grace I love her she comes to give me a hug, her way of saying "I love you, too." I have so many moments like that in a day, and when I consider them all together I wonder how I could ever be happier.

Rose Red said...

That's a great quote about happiness, and so true. so many people seem to think that happiness comes with particular possessions or amounts of money, and it's just not (always) true.

You know I'm not that into halloween, but I think it's very cool that you are and that you have so much fun and pleasure in it!

Olivia said...

Well it makes me happy that you're happy to share your pumpkin with the squirrels!

roxie said...

I love Halloween. I love dressing up and I love the giggly kids and their excited parents. Of course, it' all very low key for us. Two bags of candy, a couple of jack-o-lanterns and some odd get-up and I'm good to go.

And I love your Happiness attitude. Yay for you!

Experimental Knitter said...

"One cannot spend too much time contemplating pumpkin pie after all."

You are reading my mind!
This year we will have daughter's in-laws over for T-day, a first for us. DD#2 told me that she looks forward to the pumpkin pie more than anything and is counting down the days until she comes from college for the break. Good thing I make 2 at a time.

Galad said...

What a wonderful discussion on happiness and a welcome reminder about what happiness really comes from.

I love Halloween too and I think the fairy wings should be a go :-)

Pumpkin pie - yum - now I'm contemplating too

Amy Lane said...

I know that reading your blog always reminds me to BE happy-- you really do have a blessed perspective, sweetheart.

And those cookies make ME happy too! (*Note to self... must buy some...)

Saren Johnson said...

Halloween is awesome. It's our anniversary!

Alwen said...

The thought of you in 4-foot fairy wings does make me happy!

Anonymous said...

im enjoying watching you all get into halloween! and your quote is just perfect. its so important to go through life with some gratitude for what we do have.a lot of the worlds problems would be solved if people stopped thinking they had a right to uninterrupted joy, often at the expense of others.

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