Happiness is a Puppy

Kisses is our youngest fur ball, who at three-months rocks our world like a tornado.  Like all puppies are, Kisses is overflowing with energy.  She is unstoppable and her playfulness is sure to make you laugh that you just want to pick her up and cuddle her in your arms. 

She loves to rough up the two boys, George and Tobias. She would try to bite George’s mouth even though he is clearly a big guy beyond her reach.  And she would always provoke Toby to chase her or wrestle with her even though she’s already twice his size.

She’s only been with us for a month now and our day isn’t complete without us telling her off, not to chew on things (yes, she is teething and her #1 hobby is chewing on anything – slippers, cabinets, walls, shoes, rugs, furniture, socks, etc) or not to go inside the room, or not to be too naughty.  This is why she has to stay in her crate for the rest of the day when nobody can look after her.  Of course, she doesn't like it and she can be really loud when she wants your attention.

No, it's not all fun and smiles to have dogs in the house.  Sometimes, her naughtiness can get in our nerves too.  But when she starts to whimper or lie down begging for us to scratch her furry, white belly, her charm always wins me over in the end.

I guess that is why some people say, "happiness is a puppy". I raised George and Sophia (Kisses' Mom) since they were puppies and I totally believe that.  Do you? 

Happiness is a State of Mind!

I used to write all the time until somewhere along the way, I forced myself to stop.  I used to reason to myself that it is my way to purge sadness from my system.  That I am turning ugliness into something beautiful but soon realized that it is the other way around.  

Something else was happening to me.  The more I write about sadness, the more that I feel sad.  The more I write about frustrations, the more I feel exasperated.  The more I talk about anger, the more I feel hurt.  

I sometimes miss my dark writings.  I was brave enough to call it poetry and I was vain enough to think of it as beautiful.  Sweet misery.   But all I did was shut myself out from the rest of the world.  I was someone who overly complicates things, concentrating on the imperfections I see in me, in other people, in the world I move in.  And it did not comfort me in any way.  I became an unhappy girl who was contented to dwell in loneliness.

I promised myself not to write about the same things.  I decided to fill this space with happy thoughts that lift the soul.  There was a time when I used to imagine Peter Pan coming in from our window, even though our house has no second floor.  “Just think of happy thoughts and you can fly with me to Neverland!”, he would say.  

Think happy.  Think happy.  Think happy.  This should be my mantra.  For I am one of those people who have this uncanny attraction to sorrow.  Thus, I must constantly remind myself to be happy.  Think happy.  Feel happy.

I would like to believe that I have learned a few important lessons in my journey outside of that dark world.  I am slowly learning to accept the things I cannot change and make the best out of them.  I cannot forever hate what is given to me.

Didn’t they say that “happiness is but a state of mind”?  It’s what you sincerely believe in that feeds your heart and soul.  There is no point in making the world cold, when you have the fire inside you.   Gratefulness sparks happiness, keeps your feet on the ground.