10.11.11
In the late 1970s, a team of psychologists led by Philip Brickman came to a startling conclusion about humans and happiness: In comparing the happiness levels of a group of lottery winners and a group of paraplegics to that of the general population, the psychologists discovered that both life-altering events made no significant differences on the groups' well-being after one year. The researchers attributed this phenomenon to the adaptive functioning of the human spirit.
Given time, people will acclimate to circumstances, whether fantastically positive or negative.
The sound of rain is beautiful.
too many rainy days can leave you soggy and sad.
In rainy Seattle I loaded up one branch of my life way heavier then the rest, and literally felt like tipping over. I was working 12 hour days and then my Grandma suddenly went to the E.R and then I had a miniature wake up call. Time which is so very precious is passing! I dont want to waste another minute being sad.
Sometimes life feels like a long hard battle.
And other times it feels the electric slide.
I love this talk on Finding Joy. Im always trying to look for these huge pieces of gold everyday in my life, when really most of the time joy is derived from precious flecks.
The other day on my way home from work there was a torrential down poor. I saw this teenage boy walking caught in it. I wanted to give him a lift but I hesitated. "Pick him up!" This sn't Hawaii! "but its pouring!" "kids should never get in the car with strangers!"
Finally I rolled down the window and yelled out to him if he needed a ride. Fortunatley he was almost home. I missed Hawaii! Where this sort of thing is normal.
But then I found myself in the neighborhood of my old piano teacher, who I haven't seen for 15 years. Perhaps I could pay her a visit. By now she was surly in her 80ies. So I pulled into her driveway, and knocked on her door envisioning a joyful reunion. But that didn't work out either, the door never opened. So I buckled back in and started driving home for the third and final time.
And then something so special happened. Just there huddled under a pine tree that offered the shelter of a Kleenex, was a sweet old looking couple. I could tell they were not from Seattle because they were waiting for the rain to stop, which would probably not be for a week or two. I rolled down the window and they gladly were in my car a few seconds later. It didn't take me very long to figure out they were visiting from Hawaii. They were talking pigeon and being so sweet to me. My heart felt SO good and so happy that I could chat with them. It reminded me of all the reasons I love Hawaii and I felt like someone understood me for just a few minutes.
But then I found myself in the neighborhood of my old piano teacher, who I haven't seen for 15 years. Perhaps I could pay her a visit. By now she was surly in her 80ies. So I pulled into her driveway, and knocked on her door envisioning a joyful reunion. But that didn't work out either, the door never opened. So I buckled back in and started driving home for the third and final time.
And then something so special happened. Just there huddled under a pine tree that offered the shelter of a Kleenex, was a sweet old looking couple. I could tell they were not from Seattle because they were waiting for the rain to stop, which would probably not be for a week or two. I rolled down the window and they gladly were in my car a few seconds later. It didn't take me very long to figure out they were visiting from Hawaii. They were talking pigeon and being so sweet to me. My heart felt SO good and so happy that I could chat with them. It reminded me of all the reasons I love Hawaii and I felt like someone understood me for just a few minutes.
I don't like the grey drippy skies, but sometimes when you cant see the good, you close your eyes, and listen.
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