Love and Laughter ? Celebrating the Gift of Life

Only you can call me into aliveness. Each time you try to understand and because you really care, my heart begins to grow wings, very small wings, very feeble wings, but wings. With your sensitivity and sympathy, and your power of understanding, you can breathe life into me. ~ Charles C. Finn Life is our brief precious time to feel-to experience love, laughter, and wonder-to design and contribute our unique creations and expressions of who we are and what we want to leave behind.

I paused to think about this gift of life, mysterious and marvelous. Filled with roller coaster highs and lows, each moment of life is exhilarating.

Our living energy continuously moves and changes, always seeking increase and offering abundance. I asked, "How do I celebrate this precious gift of life?"

Here are ten ways I like to celebrate being alive.

  • Walking though nature, and noticing the perfection in each intimate landscape.

  • Going to special places that fill me with energy; allowing that energy to wash away negativity; simply being instead of wanting or doing.

  • Hiking up the trail to a mountaintop in summer; skiing down from a mountaintop in winter.

  • Looking through an album filled with photos of friends and the places we have traveled.

  • Doing a favor for someone I have never met and making a new friend.

  • Enjoying the company of friends and family; laughing together and exchanging jokes, stories, and experiences.

  • Looking into a starry sky and imagining just how far it actually reaches.

  • Sharing experiences, joys, hopes, and future dreams with a friend.

  • Fully experiencing each moment and its emotions; remembering that all emotions are part of being alive.

  • Giving thanks to the Creator for allowing me to live on this planet, for friends and family, and for a gift so complete and perfect as life.

    • There is a beautiful quote by Frederick Buechner: Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace. Allow your heart to grow wings. Savor every moment of life and reflect deeply on each experience. Celebrate the peaks and valleys. Become aware of the authentic joy that continually binds moment to moment, year to year, and generation to generation.

    Most importantly, give life the best you have, and life will give its best back to you.

    © Copyright by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a professional life success coach, motivational author, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career and personal life. Get the next issue by visiting http://www.AchieveEzine.com

    In The News:
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/us/27happy.html%3Fref%3Dhealthcid=1274976377ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNF7jLvDN7bW1MIQHd-uTDkHXIfhBAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=TyzsI9bkaz8Jimgurl=graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/11/27/us/27nat-happy.600.jpg width=80 height=44 alt= border=1brfont size=-2New York Times/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/us/27happy.html%3Fref%3Dhealthcid=1274976377ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNF7jLvDN7bW1MIQHd-uTDkHXIfhBAEven if You Can’t Buy It, bHappiness/b Is Big Business/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 27, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Participants browse titles in the bookstore written by many of the speakers at a conference called bHappiness/b and its Causes in San Francisco, California. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/30/geared-for-happiness/cid=1276017765ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNHmaNqArsKyw8Gx0U5XF4Oo43YVOQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=V8IZj1AE-a0Jimgurl=media.washingtontimes.com/media/img/photos/2008/11/28/20081127-185500-pic-121148085_r106x74.jpg%3Fc4028041f07984cc2b0208af53263b8f9a78b153 width=80 height=56 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Washington Times/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/30/geared-for-happiness/cid=1276017765ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNHmaNqArsKyw8Gx0U5XF4Oo43YVOQMASON/MASON: Geared for bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWashington Times,nbsp;DCnbsp;-/font nobrNov 29, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A surprising and ultimately happy ending to the controversial auto industry bailout may be possible. A positive outcome requires the proven management ideas b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.f1sa.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D9116%26Itemid%3D219cid=1275802977ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNG8neKq194jobqiBBBgYJFOqWrCjwF1 : Felipe Massa - A little bit of bhappiness/b for those who suffer/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fF1SA,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1We tried to bring a little bit of bhappiness/b for those who suffer.quot; In the end the event was a great success, 12 000 spectators came to see the races at the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ridgecrestca.com/news/business/x541370419/Making-Cents-Cents-will-never-add-up-to-happinesscid=1275627212ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNGDCgKyRy6rXM3lA-wA9byCfji3tgMaking Cents: Cents will never add up to bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fRidgecrest Daily Independent,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 28, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1True success cannot come without bhappiness/b. If you think that money is the root cause of bhappiness/b, just look at all the miserable rich people that you know b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Heads_and_Tales/Brazil_to_import_happiness_from_Bhutan/articleshow/3776664.cmscid=0ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNEQWAF6qGDT2GHeXLHo3qhLYq5DswBrazil to #39;import#39; bhappiness/b from Bhutan/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTimes of India,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-130 Nov 2008, 2018 hrs IST, PTI THIMPHU: Bhutan#39;s Gross National bHappiness/b (GNH) has found a new admirer in Brazil, which says it plans to adopt the unique b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sknvibes.com/Commentary/Index.cfm/290cid=0ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNEqF8ZWWJcI8SBS_jAXhrAkzuwwyw“Breathe” bHappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSKNVibes.com,nbsp;St. Kitts and Nevisnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Julie Charles THE quest for bhappiness/b is as old as the human race, and that great quest still continues even in today’s world. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/11_30-48/LIFcid=0ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNEIJfQ4Q5_wpoZzDER0oFR8np8Z6QAchieving bHappiness/b: Reaching out for help puts you on road to success/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAnnapolis Capital,nbsp;MDnbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Dr. Tom Muha is a psychologist practicing in Annapolis. To contact him, call 443-454-7274 or e-mail him at drtom@achieving bhappiness/b.com./font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nj.com/morristown/index.ssf/2008/11/unabashed_happiness.htmlcid=1275887687ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNE2gV1HTQm4UJjp9aFUQMhp4iMyjgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=4XMiJIqHUMAJimgurl=blog.nj.com/morristown_impact/2008/11/large_5%2520MRSANT29%2520HINDASH.JPG width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2NJ.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nj.com/morristown/index.ssf/2008/11/unabashed_happiness.htmlcid=1275887687ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNE2gV1HTQm4UJjp9aFUQMhp4iMyjgUnabashed bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNJ.com,nbsp;NJnbsp;-/font nobrNov 29, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by George! Too bad we all were unable to trade places with Santa Claus for just a few minutes on Friday night. The joy that washed over him on the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/features/6137158.htmlcid=1275560247ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNFydnKawJEpsqmleCTQ46-nNH4-KwAbby: Happily married man bothered by ex’s bhappiness/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHouston Chronicle,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 28, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By ABBY Universal Press Syndicate My first serious relationship lasted a year and ended more than eight years ago. “Stacy” was terrific, but we were very b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gretchen-rubin/happiness-tip-enter-into_b_146759.htmlcid=0ei=REg0SeztFaKO6APuhoHoBwusg=AFQjCNHZB2BZ6HyzmZ7VHJYD1J6VwAZnAgbHappiness/b Tip: Enter Into The Spirit Of The Season/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHuffington Post,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrNov 30, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I#39;m working on my bHappiness/b Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone#39;s project will look different, but it#39;s the rare person who can#39;t benefit. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
    happiness - Google News


    Wind Chimes and more...

    Windchimes for great gifts!

    Letting Go of Anger and Awaken to Lifes Grand Aventures

    Anger can make us feel good and enlivened for a... Read More

    Stop Sickies and Make People Happy At Work

    If you're an employer or a manager then work place... Read More

    Happiest Person In America: Whats Sex Got To Do With It?

    Who is the happiest person in America? USA Today featured... Read More

    Follow Your Bliss

    Gail was a quiet, shy, young lady. She has been... Read More

    Happiness Fleeting

    "You cannot capture happiness no matter how hard you may... Read More

    Authentic Happiness

    EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE - how to build positive emotions for extraordinary... Read More

    Three Inspirations for Happiness

    The following three inspirations were adapted from A Daily Dose... Read More

    Free Tips To Improve Self Confidence

    1. DRUNK!At the age of sixteen I was invited out... Read More

    Flow as in Flower

    The seeds you sow determine the crop you reap. This... Read More

    Could Your Thoughts Sabotage Your Happiness? Take This Quiz And Find Out

    Women are conditioned to be people pleasers. Women are taught... Read More

    A Great Life? How to Score Your Life

    Is your life really the life you want?Quickly determine how... Read More

    Seven Steps to a Better Day

    Are you tired of the same routine day after day?... Read More

    Happiness and Keeping Ahead of the Joneses

    Imagine that the Internal Revenue Service in your country claimed... Read More

    Finding Your Life Purpose

    You have a purpose in life. You have a unique... Read More

    Poetic Romance

    Romance is conveyed in so many different ways.One less commonly... Read More

    Get Out Those Legos

    Many of my clients are working harder than smarter. This... Read More

    Why Choosing To Be Happy Is Not Enough

    I talked in a recent article about how every moment... Read More

    Life or Lifestyle?

    "When you live the life you were meant to live,... Read More

    Choose Happiness

    It's a beautiful spring day in Beverly Hills, California. I'm... Read More

    10 Steps to Happily Ever After

    Do you know what all happy and healthy marriages have... Read More

    Happy Buttons

    What makes you happy? What are the simple pleasures that... Read More

    Increase Your Happiness - Look Forward With Hindsight

    Six months ago you had trouble finding your keys and... Read More

    Relationships and the Law of Attraction

    This question and answer article was done by Gizelle River,... Read More

    Develop a Guiding Philosophy for Happiness

    Groundedness is one of the most important components of a... Read More

    Love, Uncles, and Etymology

    Thwack! . . . Thwack! . . . Thwack! Steven... Read More