Intentional living
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Happiness in a good book
It’s International Day of Happiness today, March 20. This UN designated day aims to raise awareness of the importance of happiness within people’s lives. This year’s theme is be mindful, be grateful, be kind (follow the link for 3 simple steps you can use anytime). One activity that makes me happy is writing (thank you for reading!). Another is reading a great book. Lately I have been enjoying murder mysteries. If you are familiar with the book series by Donna Leon or Louise Penny then you will be well acquainted with Commissario Guido Brunetti and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. What makes these mystery novels so appealing are these noble characters.…
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Holiday traditions
My living room is decked out for the holidays all Hyggelig (remember the Danish concept of cosy contentedness?). Many of the same ornaments adorn our home year after year, including my retro 1970s reindeers, one of my grandmother’s hand-stitched stockings and my daughter’s crafts from when she was little. I enjoy these familiar traditions. Though it’s also fun to learn new ones. Which brings me to a popular Spanish tradition. La Lotería de Navidad or the Christmas Lottery. I happened upon this tradition in Madrid this October. I noticed a long line of people winding around a block in the Puerta del Sol area. They were waiting patiently, not for…
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A look at year 3
It is coming up on three years since my first post. I am inclined to review or reflect on another passing year. Unlike any performance review I had to conduct at work, my “reviews” don’t take any set form. The first year marked highlights and the second marked 100 posts. Looking back on this third year, a clear theme emerges. I have been fortunate to travel and it’s been all about Spain. As I do like creating lists (like delightful things about winter), the list in my notebook that has become longer and longer this year is “Things I love about Spain”. There could be many sub-categories, be it architecture,…
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Look behind
I went for a walk after dinner last week. The air was wonderfully warm. Tranquil. The crickets chirped. So lovely was the evening I was actually telling myself to be present and savour it. I wanted to imprint the end of summer feeling in my memory bank so that I could recall it on a cold wintery day. (As you can see, it does not come naturally for me to be present so I need to remind myself!) In front of me fairy lights twinkled in the distance. I stopped and admired the pretty view. I was about to take another step forward. Instead, I paused. I turned and looked…
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Uncovering messages
Not being ok is also ok No estar bien tambien está bien I had a hunch these signs conveyed positive messages when I spotted them in Spain. I did not understand every word. I got the gist. I took photos so I could translate them later. Inspirational, encouraging and reassuring quotes can be found most everywhere I suppose: coffee shops, waiting rooms, painted rocks, wall art. The extra step of studying the Spanish words to uncover their meaning makes these all the more special. Whether you read them in Spanish or English, the messages are clear. And ones I want to remember. Life is not waiting for the storm to pass,…
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Summer snow
It’s snowing in my backyard. The white fluffy petals tickle my nose. It smells nice. Nothing like those pesky squirrels. I don’t like how they smell…or how they look at me from their perch on top of the fence. It’s my turf. It’s Caramel territory. About this snow. I was a bit startled. Not bad startled like when a raccoon walks along the fence. More curiously startled like when small birds rustle in the bushes. I needed to sniff around. Investigate quietly. Sniff, Sniff. No barking or growling. It turns out the “snowflakes” are blossoms. Tiny white blossoms falling from the big tree. Phew. I am not ready for winter.…
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Choose to help
March 20 is International Day of Happiness. Each year I have written a post to celebrate this UN designated day to spread kindness and happiness – such as stopping to appreciate nature or the kindness of a friend. This year feels different. How do you celebrate happiness in the context of so much violence? In search of advice, I consulted the website for the International Day of Happiness and was pleased to see this year’s theme: Choose to Help. It’s a struggle to know what to do. Giving a donation to those on the front lines is one way to feel less powerless. The website lists charities where donations can…
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Snowfall… or nevada
I have been studying Spanish since I returned from my trip. Among the tools I use, a Spanish Dictionary app helps expand my vocabulary with a new word each day. I have recently learned some wintery words: la nevada (snowfall), invernar (to winter), friolento (sensitive to cold), el copo de nieve (snowflake) A winter wonderland is not the typical image of Spain that comes to mind (though a huge snowfall hit Madrid last winter and skiers zip down the slopes of the Sierra de Nevada north of Granada). I don’t imagine I will use these words in Spain unless I am talking about snowy winters in Canada. Right now we…
