Restoring Happiness

Ever have a low energy day? I’m going through one right now. Last weekend my family had a campfire and I somehow managed to get bitten by mosquitoes over FIFTY TIMES on my feet. Crazy, huh? Something else that’s crazy – I’m allergic to mosquito bites. While some people might feel a small bump, or be mildly itchy, my skin turns RED, SWELLES, and ITCHES with a similar intensity to poison ivy.

So, over the past few days I’ve been taking allergy medication, putting my feet up, and trying not to stress over the fact that my toes look as if they had been gnawed on by a yeti. My workouts have been derailed and on the rare occasions when I leave the house, I have been wearing long pants and socks  so I don’t get bitten even more. (did I mention that we're in the middle of a heat wave?)

I’m not saying this to get pity. Rather, I’m telling you this because it helps put things into perspective, and perspective, I believe, is one of the keys to happiness in our lives.

When plans get derailed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or depressed. Believe me, I know. As humans, it’s natural to focus on the negative in our lives. Sometimes this is beneficial. Thinking about negative things can help us to change things for the better. It can push us to strive for greatness or force us to come up with a novel way of doing things. Sometimes however, we can’t change what has happened, and we must somehow learn to cope.

For May, one of the blog themes is the lily of the valley, a flower that represents restored happiness. I’m convinced that stepping back and reflecting on our blessings  helps us to cope with the negative and restore balance and happiness in our lives.

So, as the swelling in my feet finally starts to fade, I am thankful for all of the small things  – family, friends, the opportunity to do something I love for a living. The list goes on and on.

What are some of the blessings in your life right now? Tell me about it in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you!

**CONTEST**

On June 2^nd, my book, AT HIS SERVICE, will hit bookstores. This marks the first time one of my stories will be found in brick and mortar stores nationwide and I want to celebrate! If you see my book “in the wild,” take your picture with it and send a .jpg of the photo, the bookstore name and city it was found, and the names of the people in the picture to suzannerockauthor(at)gmail(dot)com. Your picture will be included on my brand new FAN PAGE on my website (coming in August). You will also be entered for a chance to win gift packs from my swag bag! Squee! Ten percent of all entrants will win, so the number of winners will depend on the number of people entering the contest. If more people enter, then more will win! How cool is that? Contest is open from June 1^st until June 25^th. Entries after June 25^th will not be used.

And read more about AT HIS SERVICE here!

Kitchen Counter Wisdom

The best memories I have of my mother were of our morning tea drinking sessions during my teen years. We sat on bar stools at the kitchen counter, each drinking two or three cups of hot milky tea. Those were the best conversations we ever had, and I recall them to this day.

There was no telling where our conversations would go, but invariably she wove some real life wisdom into the theme of the day by the time we finished drinking cup number two.

Ours was a complex relationship. As a child I couldn’t understand her, and was always trying to avoid her sudden outbursts. These days, I understand her better. Her role in my life was largely as a negative role model, meaning she taught me more about how I did not want to be than how I did want to be. I’m very thankful to her for that.  

Colombian emeralds were my mother’s favorite gem stone. My father gifted her several stunning sparklers over the years. Emeralds are said to aid in faithfulness and forecasting, and she was both a very faithful wife, and a gifted psychic. She often forecast the future from across the kitchen counter, and her perceptions were usually accurate. Unfortunately, she was afraid of her psychic abilities and shut them down in the end.

She always took great pride in her garden, especially her tropical flowers. Geraniums, hibiscus, bougainvillea, birds of paradise and lilies of the valley were her favorites. Spending time with her flowers brought her more happiness than almost anything else.

A quirky fact about her is that she had a wild pet lizard named Lizzie. He lived under our outdoor refrigerator on the patio. Every morning around 11am he came out and awaited her. She gave him bread and he gobbled it up. He was the biggest lizard ever. There was a great bond between my mother and the lizard, and this continued for years.

Mother, May I…..? Questions I Should Have Asked My Mother

She was a very tense and intense woman, and believed children should be seen and not heard. My brother and I were never allowed to ask questions while growing up.

She’s been gone for nearly thirty years already. She had breast cancer in her mid-forties, and was told to stop smoking if she wanted to improve her chances of survival. Defiant to the end, she told the doctor she’d rather die with a cigarette in her hand. A decade later she died of lung cancer.

There are many questions I’d love to ask her. Some are too private, but here are a few.

Why Did You Never Let Me Learn To Cook?

Why Did You Keep Smoking After Breast Cancer?

Why Didn’t You Open The Antique Shop You Always Wanted?

Why Did You Send Us Away To Boarding School When You Were So Lonely?

I wouldn’t trade my mother for anything. So now, I raise a toast with a hot cup of milky tea and say~To Mary~I love you.

GEMMA JULIANA is a multi-published author who lives in an enchanted cottage in Texas with her handsome hero, teen son and a comical dog. She loves making new friends and hearing from readers. Exotic coffee and chocolate fuel her creativity. You can buy Gemma’s books on Amazon.  

Visit Gemma’s website: http://www.gemmajuliana.com

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