What makes you happy?
I think about what puts a smile on my face.
Hello friends,
Scrolling through thousands of pictures, I would stop and smile.
What caused this spontaneous response? I found myself reliving a moment in time reflected in a photograph.
I recently watched a webinar by Cole Thompson on developing a photographic vision. He defined vision as “simply the sum total of our life experiences, that allows us to see the world in a unique way.”
He photographed what he loved.
I wondered about my vision for photography and life. Thousands of photos held the answer.
I capture moments through photographs and words that make me smile. I look for the happy moments.
I’ve read many definitions and opinions of happiness and lengthy discussions on how it differs from joy. Today, let’s keep it simple. Happiness comes from what makes me smile.
I started a happy list.
The people in my life fill my world with more smiles than a face can hold. My children, grandchildren, family, friends, and sometimes a stranger make the most mundane moments a celebration.
If I feel out of sorts, I walk outside, breathe, and smile. Clouds fascinate me with their constant change streaking across the sky.
They create expansive, stunning sunrises and sunsets. While I may run, grabbing my camera to catch a fleeting glimpse of a glorious sunset, sometimes, I just watch in awe.
I wrote recently about my love of waves, seashells, and an ocean breeze.
And flowers! Who doesn’t love a rose, a pansy, a zinnia, or a sunflower waving in the wind?
Our summer has been more than hot. The scorching temperatures do not deter the Bougainvillea—as long as I keep them watered.
I could go on, but I will leave you with one more. I love the objects that have traveled through the years within our family, like worn handmade quilts, depression glass, brooches, initialed handkerchiefs, baby shoes, dolls, and toys loved and played with by multiple generations.
I’m not a hoarder, but I collect objects full of memories that make me smile.
What puts a smile on your face?
Does age matter? I thought I was too old . . . until.
One day, Gretchen Rubin asked herself, What do I want from life anyway?” She wanted to be happy. From that reflection, came a year-long quest that turned into the happiness project.
If you need some happy motivation, try a couple of these musical moments: Don’t Worry Be Happy, Three Little Birds, Here Comes the Sun, Pocket Full of Sunshine, I Got You (I Feel Good), Happy, and one of the best, What a Wonderful World.
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
—Marcel Proust
"This is a time for straying, for losing one’s way, for asking new questions. A sacred activism. A slowing down that knows enchantment is not in short supply."
—Bayo Akomolafe
Find a little wonder this week, find something or a moment that makes you smile. Be happy!
With gratitude,
Kathryn
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What beautiful photos! They certainly put a smile on my face 🙂