Tag Archives: feeling good

Natsukashii

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Natsukashii (Adjective) Origin: Japanese | A happy recollection of an event or memory.

The adjective originally described wanting to keep something close or wanting to express fondness for something. Over time, this term was used more to describe happy reminiscences, leading to the modern meaning. Take note that this is different from a nostalgic longing, but more of joyous remembrance of a past memory.

I was trying to find a single picture to go with this word.  I could not.  I have more joyous remembrances of times past than nostalgic longings.  I tend not to focus on the things that went wrong.  I do sometimes miss what is no longer there but I can honestly say that I would generally never want to go back to any period of my life.

I have no regrets. Do not wish for do-overs.  I believe in the butterfly effect.  If you were able to go back and change just one thing.. what would be different now? You could not guarantee it would be better.  As a matter of fact, it would likely be worse. (you really should watch the movie) I love the journey.

I’m not trying to say it has all been good.  I have had some extreme rough patches in life and at times I have been quite devastated by the twists life has presented.  However, even those times have shaped me to be the person I am today.  The one thing that stands out when I look back on my photos is that at every point in my life, even the worst of times … I smile.  I smile and it’s genuine.

When I was about 13 or 14, one of my best friends in junior high gave me a birthday card that read, “The one who laughs… lasts.”  (Thanks JoNelle) It was true.  I did. I still do.

It’s great to reminisce about good memories of my past. It was enjoyable when it was today. So learning to enjoy today has two benefits: it gives me happiness right now, and it becomes a good memory later. George Foreman

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Happy memories:  Arristela; paradise; nzain; vrunda; Jane; plaridel; Brendan; Teresa; reluctant; Jaya; Tim; wandering; sakshi; supreet; chinhooi; scribble; hope

Smiles

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A new challenge by Sally this month was to choose our own theme.  I chose smiles because that is my favorite thing to do and to see.  In every country that I have been blessed enough to visit I have found favorite smiles.  I sort of collect them.  When I feel down or angry, I can look back on some of my favorite smiles.  If you look past through my posts, you can see all of my favorite smiles so far.  Smiles from family.  Smiles from old friends.  Smiles from new friends.  I have found people who just look angry and annoyed and yet when I smile at them, they almost always smile back.  Sure there are those that do not.  But in my experience, for the most part they usually do.  I hope you enjoy my most recent collection of smiles from Egypt.

Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts. Paramahansa Yogananda

 

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From my last post. One of my favorite most recent smiles. My driver to the airport who got a call during the ride letting him know that his wife just had a baby boy. They had been waiting 5 years for this news.

Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. Mother Teresa

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On a visit to the Egyptian Museum, these adorable young kids visiting the museum asked if they could take their picture with me.  I in turn asked if i could take my picture with them.  I LOVE this picture and love that they wanted to take their picture with me.  How fun is this.

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. Henri Nouwen

Egypt
Egypt

A person is just a person.  A job is just a job.  We do not know why someone looks angry (Resting bitch face?  Maybe?) or sad (Really actually sad and alone?).  We will never know why unless we engage.  Maybe you will get a positive response or possibly just an angry grunt.  You will never know unless you engage.  Every single sad or angry looking face I encountered above eventually smiled.  Maybe I just wore them down, I don’t know.  But engagement brought life to the face.  To theirs and mine as well.

A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose. Tom Wilson

The tour we went on introduced me to a bunch of new smiles that still make me happy to look back on and remember.  What a great trip. Still smiling from the fun.

View other entries for this week’s challenge :

challenge-all-ears;  2016/11/28/-for-sally-ds-mobile-photo-challenge; the-tea-house-goddess; netdancer.com/2016/11/28; challengers-choice-landscape; chihulys-basket-series;  challenge-challengers-choice; 2016/11/30/the-fernery-2; challengers-choice-nature-of-flowers; zimmerbitch

Stillness|Croatia

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As we are winding down into the final days of our vacation, I present to you… a small, still, calm glimpse into an incredibly active vacation.

The Post that inspired stillness

where’s my backpack

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: A “birth” Day in My Life

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This weeks photo challenge was: A day in my life.  I’m going to actually expand it by a half day and make it a day and a half in my life.  It was my birthday yesterday so I feel that this expansion is merited.

A friend who works with digital photography created this for me for my birthday.

A friend who works with digital photography created this for me for my birthday.

I’ve been studying diligently now for over a month and making great progress.  I have been overdosing on Nepali language because when I went through the Spanish program I did NOT do so well and had to spend about 2 years being teased about my lack of ability in language.  I’ve decided that this is NOT going to happen this time.  What this has meant for me is about 5 hours straight of class time only to come home and spend between 3-5 more hours studying, creating flashcards, reviewing an electronic flashcard set I created, reading Nepali newspapers and on and on. I’ve been posting notes on walls, in notebooks and on my computer. I’m loving it, but it has been exhausting and has left little time for anything else.  I do mean.. anything..

Nepali Dictionary.. duh
Family words wall
food word question wall
Work sheet
Student book
food names on fridge
Verbs and question words
months and day wall with xmas present calendar from daughter.
different page of student book
Food word wall in kitchen
mirrored word wall jobs random words

My birthday was on Saturday so I decided that on Friday I would ride my bike to school which would allow me to get some fresh outdoor, brand new spring like weather outdoorness.  It was a brilliant idea.  Got to school and felt great.  Full of energy and enthusiasm.  By the time I got home.. it was a little bit of a different story.

Getting to school

Getting to school

Getting home from school

Getting home from school

My very good friend Marcia decided that enough was enough and even though I wasn’t very keen on celebrating my birthday, I needed a break.  She believes that birthdays are to be huge events that are celebrated to extremes.  I am the opposite.  I feel birthdays are days you should do what you want to do and pamper yourself or not.  Because I have been loving learning the language, my plan was to just stay home and study.  Her plan involved a gigantic dinner with friends around to celebrate the passing of yet another year. We made a compromise.  We went to a nice dinner on Friday night and then spent most of Saturday afternoon shopping, drinking some wine and eating some cheese.  All in all, it was a lovely day.  She was right.  I did need that break.  I hope you enjoy.

Sparkly reds
Butcher shop we got awesome meats at
lovely cheese plate
before the tasting
Friday night meal at Epic in Pentagon City
great server
Cheese with the reds was delicious
Union Station Stop
great service and good food
Menu at market
Name of the company
Lambrusco.. first wine I got drunk on and let me say it’s improved in 30 years.
Wine shop for awesome wine
Subway map of DC
Red wine flight and cheese sample

New to The Daily Post? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in our Weekly Photo Challenge to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in Post a Day / Post a Week. Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

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The seaweed is always greener In somebody else’s lake…

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If you could be anything in the world, what would you be? Today I’d be a fish or a turtle. So cool.

This post is dedicated to a couple of friends who are really struggling with who, what and where they are in life.

So many times we want to be what we are not.  Where we are not.  More often than not, it’s perfectly fine being exactly who we are, what we are and where we are.  What else is there?

If you could be anything?  What would you be? Where would you be?

I think that sometimes we think that if only we were someone, somewhere or something else, life would be better. I also think that sometimes we assume others have special powers or characteristics that give them special privileges that put them at a higher level or in better positions causing them to have fabulous lives and if only we had what they have life would be sublime.

Man got fire!!

“Everyone’s afraid of their own life
If you could be anything you want
I bet you’d be disappointed, am I right?” – Modest Mouse

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
– Buddha

“Something inside you emerges….an innate, indwelling peace, stillness, aliveness. It is the unconditioned, who you are in your essence. It is what you had been looking for in the love object. It is yourself.”
– Eckhart Tolle

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