Fruity Smiles

1) I saw a woman and her grandson trying to pick mangoes off a tree near my flat using what looked like a telescopic pruning saw (there are quite a number of mango trees here). When I got closer, I realised she was just probing the mangoes with a stick. “Not ripe yet,” she told her grandson, “let’s pick some flowers instead.” :)

2) A lady, probably in her early 60s was calling out to another lady (a stranger), probably in her late 40s, “Auntie”*. The younger lady was suitably offended and decided to ignore her and walk the other way without finding out what the older one wanted!  The older lady then turned to me, shrugged her shoulders and laughed! Was she just teasing her? ;)

3) A bag of apple chips on offer at $1.90 (originally $3.95). Semi-guiltless snacking! :D

(*Here, it is common to address older folks, even those you aren’t related to as “Aunties” and “Uncles”. The tricky part is to determine when this could be used without offending the other party. However, a taxi driver is always an “uncle” regardless of his age! I have no idea why!)

No More Fear for Tears

My weekend was full of tears.

It’s not what you think. We had a DVD marathon on Saturday and somehow I ended up crying watching ALL the movies . There was Before Sunset  (I was sad throughout the movie actually but the tear pipes burst at the scene in the car) The Wrestler (kinda predictable but can I say perfect casting, Mickey Rourke!? I cried when he told his daughter he didn’t want her to hate him, and when he had to work at the deli counter) and… Wall-E! I can’t believe I cried so much watching an animated film! Ha ha!

You know how when you’re watching a movie with a couple of other people and you get a bit choked during a scene (especially one that didn’t seem all that sad)? You would glance over to check if the others watching are getting as emotional as you are, right? And then you note that everyone else seems unaffected (or pretend they are) so you decide to hold them tears? That’s really hard work! I’ve decided that if I’m gonna cry when I watch a movie - let the tears flow. :D

Something to Remember

Life is a series of ups and downs.

(Again and  Again, Keane)

Happy New Year

Thank you for reading Growing Happiness in 2008. I’m ever so grateful for your company.

Here’s to a great 2009! :)

Remember the Little Things

“A happy life is made of little things… a gift sent, a letter written, a call made, a recommendation given, transportation provided, a cake made, a book lent, a check sent.” Carol Holmes

Different But Still the Same

I met the other half of my sludge worm fellowship a few days ago. So glad to finally see her again! All the anxiety I had about meeting her quickly melted away as we chatted about the old days and how much (or how little) we’ve changed.

On the surface we looked different - we’re no longer giggly schoolgirls in uniforms, we’ve grown a couple of inches taller and our fashion styles have evolved - but essentially we’re still the same persons. She described our reacquaintance succinctly when she said,

“Everything’s different yet nothing’s changed.” :)

Happiness is an Oven

I bought a small electric oven yesterday to replace a built-in wall oven that stopped functioning a decade ago.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I don’t really cook. I do, however, love to bake.  I used to bake regularly - breads, cakes, biscuits, pies - nothing was too time consuming or difficult. If something caught my fancy at the supermarket or bakery, I’ll find/create a recipe to bake it at home. By the time I was 14, I had perfected my own torte recipe.

About 10 years ago, my oven stopped working. I got someone over to fix it but after a few weeks, the oven died again. I got someone else to fix it but he said it was beyond repair. From then on, I’ve wanted to get the oven replaced but never took the initiative. Weeks became months and months became years and years became a whole decade and baking became a distant memory, something I used to do.

The topic of ovens came back recently when after mentioning to a friend that I’d bake a oatmeal cookie RIGHT NOW, if only I had an oven, she burst into of hysterical laughter and said something like “yeah, like you would do such a thing”. I asked her what she meant by that and she said that I don’t come across as someone who’d attempt to fry an egg, much less bake, and besides if I really loved baking, I would’ve just got an oven instead of dreaming about it. I tried to convince her that I do indeed bake (she wasn’t convinced) but she was right about one thing - there’s no reason for me not to get something that would make me happy.

I finally decided to get an oven yesterday. I have to admit I was a bit nervous about oven-shopping, or rather with the prospect of jumping back into something I used to enjoy. Will I still be in love with it? What if I’ve lost my baking mojo? What if the real reason why I did not replace my oven earlier was because I didn’t really care about baking anymore?

I made two batches of oatmeal cookies within half an hour of getting my oven yesterday. Today I’m making chocolate chip cookies. And yes, I’m very happy :)

Life’s Little Gifts

I was in the shower when it happened - covered in soap, I was suddenly engulfed with a feeling of utter bliss.

I didn’t have to worry about things like war, hunger or poverty — I had warm water running down my body and delicious-smelling shampoo in my hair. In the light, soap bubbles were rainbow-coloured orbs, generously bestowing their beauty for my amusement.

I turned the shower off and the world was silent for a minute. Not a sound. Slowly, I started hearing a bird sing. And then another one. A gentle rustling of leaves. The sound of my breath, rhythmically inhaling and exhaling. The sounds of life. What a pleasure to be gifted with this experience!

Moments like this, stanzas in life’s poetry, are embedded into our daily lives. You just have to be aware of them, luxuriate in the moment, and let them magnify.

I hope you find a magic moment today. :)

Happiness Is A Warm Bun

When I got to the bakery today, I found a batch of freshly-baked (and still warm) coffee buns. Perfect timing!

The buns were not too happy about being eaten though! :P

Happiness is…

Today, happiness is:

Seeing my little cat falling asleep in the middle of playing with a measuring tape
Warm coffee that tastes like golden sunshine, sweet cinnamon and roasted chestnuts
Squeezing the tummy of my fat cat, who was asleep on its back
My room resplendent in the rich glow of a warm morning