What Makes You Happy Every Time You See It

I was asked the question, “What makes you happy every time you see it?” The answer came to me without even thinking, the sky, nature, growing things. I love to walk outside and breath the air, look up, and smile. It rejuvenates me and pulls the ends of my mouth up without even trying. Trees, the smell of newly cut grass, clean air, birds chirping nearby, the blue of the sky with little white clouds skidding past, a slight breeze caressing my shoulder before kissing the leaves and rustling them. Just walking the dog gives me such joy. I really should walk outside more often.

As an artist, I try and capture that elation but it’s always a poor imitation. How can a painting every capture the smells, sounds, and feel of air? It can’t. Still, I try on and on. Just trying to capture nature in oils or watercolors or collage, also gives me great delight.

I’m happy when I’m creating and developing some new images. I’m a creative type. You know the type. I was one of those people no one wanted to sit next to in high school but now everyone wants to know me. Creatives are lonely in that way. But if we are creative we live for the art and don’t really care what people think or do so it’s all okay.

I suppose you heard before that creativity is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. So that makes me one of those sweaty creatives.

I have to say that I still squint at people who stop me at gas stations or at the mall and greet me by name with a big smile, announcing that they knew me in high school. I squint because I can’t remember them for the life of me; they certainly never spoke to me in school and weren’t my close friends, but now, without their peers around, we must be friends. Hmmm. I don’t care about that anymore. I am having too much fun being an artist.

Part of the new lifestyle I have adopted means living simply. To live on an artist’s income is not usually a very lucrative endeavor, but very satisfying. So I simplify. I’ve learned to live with little in the way of furniture and creature comforts. I don’t need the latest car. There is no one to impress anyway. I don’t want the latest fancy sofa or living room group. There is no room for that kind of thing.

My husband and I live in a small apartment and love that we don’t have too much space to clean. We like each other’s company enough to live together in close proximity and still be respectful of each other’s space. I used to spread out my crafty projects to take up tables and whole rooms but I can’t do that now. I keep it small and clean up/put away when I’m done. This means I have to schedule my time and space well. I have to finish a project and not leave it half done for months like I used to do.

Part of my scheduling routine has been to keep a weekly calendar I can write in. I have an online calendar too but rarely use it for crafty scheduling. I schedule how long I think a project will last and only keep the table or desk space cluttered with it that long. If it isn’t done, I just have to pack it up and pull it out at a later date. It’s the only way to be respectful of my space and his. He is my dear friend, not someone who remembers my face from high school, but someone who loves me, respects me, and I want to keep him around. This too makes me happy.

My husband and children and grandchildren make me happy every time I see them. I don’t get to see the children and grandchildren as often as I’d like but they send me photos regularly and it’s a treat when I get to visit. I like to add to the blessing of the visits by taking my own photos and them creating with them. I’ve made little photo composite fairies and pixies from almost all my grandchildren, and even some nieces and nephews. My husband lets me create to the neglect of everything else, even cooking his meals and cleaning the house. However, I don’t do that often. I DO want to keep him around so I make time to clean and cook.

We creatives are the lonely types but not in a bad way. We love being alone. I know I do. I love the quiet and solitude I get while painting or creating with Photoshop. Since my husband is a videographer and writer, he also is a bit of a loner and so we both have hours of blissful creation time before we get hungry and need to say something to each other. That is a delight.

I know we are a funny and unusual couple but it works for us. The question is what makes you happy? Can you name it? Do you know what makes you happy and consciously put more of it in your life? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on the subject in the comments below.