The Times of Your Life

photo by Eva 2016

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865) US president, lawyer

Another saying we’ve all seen is, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths your take but by the moments that take your breath away.”  I know that for most people, they automatically think of the “BIG” moments in their lives…the moments that we generally have photographs of(well, I must say that with today’s technology, people are taking pictures of a lot more moments…).

If you have read any of the Law of Attraction materials or positive thinking, one of the techniques used to raise your vibrational levels is thinking of something that makes you happy for at least  17 seconds or longer and it should most times lift you from it. Think of those times of reading/listening to the news(and incidentally, bad news is what sells), being around negative or toxic people(co-workers, clients, family members, etc.), receiving an unexpected bill or expense…all can start your negative thoughts…and it’s unfortunate, but one bad thought usually leads to another one until gradually you are unable to focus on any joy at all.

“That’s what one small negative thought can turn into: a huge, speeding ball of ugliness.  On the contrary, a small positive thought can have the same effect blooming into a beautiful outcome.”  Michelle Uy

“”See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort.” Dala Lama

I challenge you to turn that negativity around.  How?  Simply by sitting somewhere where you can be undisturbed for a while, have a cup of coffee/tea/or whatever you enjoy, maybe some soft music playing in the background… and then have a notebook and pen.  Start remembering all of the times in your life that have given you joy.  Those moments that “took your breath away”.  Some of them will probably be very private and others are the type you have photographs of.

I did this a while ago and just came across my list today…as I read over them, that precious memory flooded my senses and I found myself smiling.  I’m thinking about getting myself a small book and writing down one precious memory per page…so on times I need to be lifted up, I can just read them…my “Happy Book”.

If you are having trouble with this, start with the BIG times…the weddings/births/vacations/, etc.  Keep this notebook handy and over time you will start to remember the small times…those small joys you had in your childhood(what did you enjoy doing?  Who were your favorite people?  Favorite pets?  Times in school?  Summer?  Winter?  Holidays?  Birthdays?  Hobbies?  Trips?  Foods?)

As you progress to adulthood joys, many of the same hold true…family, friends, pets, work, leisure, interests, romance, spirituality, etc.

When I was doing my childhood years, these are a few I came up with:

a. Coming downstairs in the dark towards the bakery…filled with warmth, lights, the      sound of country music from the radio, the smell of bread, and my Dad always so happy to see me.

b. Sitting on the steps, halfway up and halfway down, in the dark, with the light below me of the store…waiting for closing time so that my parents would come up and we would have dinner.

c. Eating a juicy peach…with the juice running down my chin.

d. Watching my mother at breakfast time, getting a fresh baked hard roll, smelling it appreciatively and giving it a kiss…before slicing it and putting butter and jelly on it.

e. When my aunt’s cat Spotty would have another litter of kittens…and I could go over and play with them(one time my aunt sent me home with a basket filled with these adorable kittens…and I was sent right back with them, ha ha!)

f. Riding my bicycle down at the shore along the bay side every morning…to get milk, the newspaper and some breakfast food. (We were down in Strathmere, NJ for three fabulous months in our small Shasta travel trailer because the street we lived in was being totally repaired and the bakery had to be closed.  Visualize 6 people in a small travel trailer for 3 months!)

I sincerely hope you will give yourself this gift…a gift of remembering the happy/good times of your life and that you will let me know how it worked for you.  Please share one of yours!

til next time…Eva