The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.-Steel Magnolias

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Happiness Is......

What is happiness?  Hmmm.....
Well, I don't look too happy in this picture.  But sometimes in our search for big things in life to make us happy, we miss the small things that bring us a smile!

Oh, that's better!  See that smile?  And all it took was a bag of "Reece's Mini's"
Yes, chocolate saves the day again!

Shirt: Old Navy
Vest: Old Navy
Jewelry:  PacSun
Jeans: BR
Shoes: Sofft
Purse:  Coach
Joy took these pictures by the "Bread Basket" where we hang sometimes in the morning.  It was a gorgeous morning, and of course chocolate makes it better.  Then I look down to see......oh, yuck! LOLOL
Interesting........
A couple weeks ago I learned a great lesson from Ida (MIL).  I haven't seen her in a week and miss her terribly.  Her stories touch me, make me laugh and sometimes make me cry.  I need to spend more time with her!  But she was telling me about picking cotton again.  She started in the cotton fields about the time she could walk around on her own.  She remembers being so young that she didn't even have to bend over to do the picking!  Because of the season that cotton blossoms, she and her 10 siblings started school late so they could do the picking.  Armed with a cotton sack across her shoulders, she spent the day picking away! 

When the sack was full, she would take it over to the large sheet and dump it out before going back to fill it up again.  At the end of the day the cotton was taken to the gin.  There the seed was taken out and it was weighed.  The seed weighs almost as much as the cotton itself so it takes A LOT of cotton.  How much cotton does it take for a bale? About 1300 lbs. !!!  And Ida picked 200 lbs of cotton a day.   But she spoke of how it felt at the end of the day to lay down on the soft sheet out in the field and just rest after a very long day of picking!

Want to know her really favorite thing though?  Every great once in a while she would see the mail truck before her sisters and sneak through the fields to get the mail!!!  She laughs as she tells how it felt to hold those letters from all over and she alone got to take it to the house!  Small things, but great joys.

Do we do this?  In our fast paced world of technology, running around and working, do we remember that sometimes the things that will bring us the greatest joy and more happiness in the long run are the very small things.  Hand picked flowers from a child,  a smile from a stranger, a hug from a friend or spouse,  fresh veggies from the garden, and yes, even finding a wonderful letter in the mailbox.  Even more important, what if WE were that shoulder to cry on, that giver of flowers that brings a smile, the instigator of the hug or the sender of the letter?   And a big hug to Ida who brings great joy to all those around her.

10 comments:

  1. Awww...what a sweet post!!

    And I don't think you were frowning. You were just squinting into the sun! I like seeing a smile on your face!!

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  2. I saw those shoes a season or two back and loved them! But I didn't buy them... you know that boring thought that says "Do I need them or want them?" At the time, I didn't think I needed them.

    I love your Ida posts! I love the love and respect you have for her. So many people don't feel that way about their in-laws, so you have received a great gift. I am lucky that my sibs have married into great families, and we actually vacation with our in-laws.

    It's funny that you are using technology to bring a message about appreciating life without technology.

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  3. And it says something about my family that I refer to my sibs' in-laws as "our" in-laws in the post above when I'm not actually married :)

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  4. I am so glad you are hearing her stories before she begins to forget - Ida sounds like an amazing woman who lead a very fascinating life!

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  5. What Kelly said... I hope you're writing her stories down somewhere.

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  6. I love this post! I try to write cards to my family and friends once a month. The people I send things to are always so excited to see a little something special in their mailboxes... even if all I'm writing is a simple hello/thinking of you. I hope you are having a good Wednesday!

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  7. Thanks for reminding us to stop and smell the roses and just enjoy the little things
    We forget in our busy lives these days
    Hey, will you share your reese's mini's?
    I love those things
    Brett

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  8. I want to hear more of MIL's stories!

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  9. Hope you girls are all right!
    Haven't heard from you in awhile.
    Have a great weekend
    Brett

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