Did You See, Hear or Do something that gave you a bit of a happiness feeling?…

[Ggrand]

Hello everyone,

I thought I would start a thread because I have been trying to look for something each day that gives me a feeling of warmth/happiness/joy/peace…you know, that feeling, the one that’s hard to find when we’re going through a rough patch of depression, anxiety or when our mental health is not the best…

For me it was seeing sheep, not just one or two but lots being moved along the road to another paddock by working dogs and a farmer whistling out commands while driving an atv….Those dogs were amazing to watch and they made me feel so happy that I got to see that…. a few years back, I had to drive through a large herd of cows….both times were scary and exciting at the same time…

Has something you’ve seen or done recently given you even a tiny bit of a feel good feeling?….did something you do for someone else give them a happy moment.

Kind thoughts, with love and gentle hugs with care..🦋💜🤗🌈.

Grandy..

Hugs everyone….🤗🤗.

Grandy..

[Eagle Ray]

Hello dear Grandy 🤗

What a wonderful idea! I agree, just something we see and experience can turn things around in us when we’re struggling. I loved hearing about the sheep and sheep dogs 🐑 🐶 

For me today it was seeing these cute little parrots on the rocks at my favourite place by the ocean. I was out early and it was misty and atmospheric. While I saw many interesting things it was the parrots that gave me the biggest lift at the end of the walk. They were feeding on coastal plants and didn’t seem to mind me being there. I’ve met them a few times down there and I’ve always given them space. If they are on the walking track I’ve actually walked around a different way so as not to disturb them feeding. But I’ll have a little chat with them where I say, “Hello little parrots” and they’ll make cute little, chatty parrot noises back to me as they waddle about. So cute! 🦜💗 Today it felt like they remembered me. They are like lovely little friends.

Other things on my walk included cute crabs scuttling about and oystercatchers who are birds with great character. I met a couple who were out early too and off on a trek. If I make the effort to go out early it really is the best time of day and what I see and experience can sustain me for the rest of the day. I definitely get warmth, joy, happiness and peace from nature so to start the day in it is the best thing.

Thank you and hope you are having a beautiful day Grandy and All 🙏🤗💖

[Ggrand]

Hello Dear Eagle Ray,

I loved hearing about your walk and seeing all those beautiful creatures and plants…Parrorts are such trusting birds, it’s nice you say heel to the parrots…I often say hello, in cow talk (moo) to the cows across from my home…I’m not sure if the are saying hello back or asking me..what do the human say to us…😁..

Last week I went shopping at Coles and amongst other things I bought a ten pack carton of coke, while I was trying to put it into the car and trying to stop the trolly from running away, the box fell onto the pavement…as I was picking up the scattered cans, some exploded and was fizzing foam everywhere…a Coles worker saw me and told me to wait their so he can get me some fresh wipes to clean up the sticky foamy mess on me 😁…He came back while I was still cleaning up and finding run away cans..with some wet hand wipes and another 10 pack of coke….me holding back tears from his kindness, thanked him and was so grateful, that is kindness really did make a difference to the rest of my day….I hope he knows how kind and caring he is…

Kindness really does make a difference to someone else’s life…

Hugs, love and care, everyone..🤗💜🦋.

Grandy..

[HappySheep]

Hi Grandy,

What a lovely idea for a thread.  I've been beating myself up because I've been struggling for the last few days but it's nice to look back and remind myself that I managed to achieve quite a few things and have some lovely things happen as well.

I'm indecisive so am I allowed to pick a top three instead of just one?

My first is easy.  I have an eight week old puppy and, I don't care who you are, you only have to look into a happy little puppy's face to have your heart melt with joy.  He's just so full of love for every new experienced - bite this, chase that, pee here - it doesn't matter because his little face just gazes at you with the certain knowledge that nothing bad could ever happen in the world.  That is a joy.

My second is very much like Eagle Ray's and involves parrots.  I dragged myself out for a run on Friday morning and passed, as I often do, a herd of white cockatoos eating beach almonds off the ground.  They are the absolute clowns of the bird world and always make me laugh, but these guys were climbing over the drinking fountain and, even though they could drink out of the dog bowl attached, you could just see them exploring how to turn it on. They hardly bothered to move as I came very close and I just missed getting a photo with my phone.  So hilarious and so clever.

My third, and the biggest thing that gave me joy yesterday was quite special and unexpected.  I resentfully went to a party at a friend's house.  He has a young adult daughter I'm close to. She has struggled through her teens with Borderline Personality Disorder - done a heap of bad/stupid stuff and lives with her boyfriend permanently on the dole and doing too many drugs etc.  Thankfully she is doing so much better now than she was five years ago and she is a good person in spite of the dysfunction.  Her BF is exactly what parents don't want in their daughter's defacto - older than she is, with a criminal record, no driver's licence and no prospects of a job.  But again, anyone who can stick with Daughter and be kind to her is a decent person in my book.  I know the man comes from a really messed up family and struggles in social situations and I know he especially doesn't know what to do with Daughter's family (my friends) as they are really nice to him and always make him welcome and try to force him to eat vegetables etc. and he really doesn't know how to handle it.  Anyway, daughter and I were talking yesterday and she told me that BF always looks out for me at these events because he trusts me to make him feel safe.  Wow. I nearly cried - I've done nothing except always try and have a personal conversation with him or take the p1ss out of him etc. because I can see how so very hard he finds it to stand in a room with all of us. To know that this young man who I should be worried is going to break into my house or something instead believes I've got his back, even though we will never understand the world each other lives in and couldn't be more opposite, was a very powerful moment.   Thanks Grandy, I hadn't really given myself time to think about this incident. I think I will treasure it.

[Fiatlux]

Hi Grandy,

Love your thread. Holding back tears as I read on…

Going through hundreds of photos the last few weeks to prepare an album for my daughter. Looking back at my children has given me so much joy. The memories of their laughter brings me joy. So many photos of them climbing the fruit trees in our old backyard and playing with the kids in our neighbourhood. They had such a wonderful childhood. I truly believe that is why they are such good people now. They were showered with love. This has made them so happy and positive.

Your coke story is lovely. I have had a similar experience when shopping with small children or while pregnant.

Eagle Ray, isn’t it amazing how animals and nature can change our mood. I am sitting in my backyard and watching the numerous butterflies and birds fly around. Apparently we have white cabbage moth plague. Personally I love them. 

Have a lovely Sunday everyone. Fiatlux 🙏🏼

[Eagle Ray]

Hello Dear Grandy, Happy Sheep and Fiatlux,

I loved reading what you all wrote. Grandy, that’s so lovely the Coles worker helped you. It’s upsetting when something like that happens and so it makes such a difference when someone else notices and makes a real effort to help. It lifts you again doesn’t it 😊 I agree with you 100% about kindness. My favourite line in the song “Hands” by Jewel is “In the end, only kindness matters”. 💗 I love cows too and it’s wonderful you can have “moo” conversations with them 🐮🥰

Happy Sheep, those are 3 delightful things. I adore dogs and 100% agree how much joy and love there is to be found in a puppy 🐶💗 I also have experienced very similar things in observing cockatoos. I was watching a group of corellas once who were all in playful mode. One was lying on his or her back waving a stick around in the air. Others were romping and play fighting and clearly loving it. I’ve watched galahs spin themselves round in circles on the powerlines just for fun. And the story about your friends’ daughter and partner is just lovely. It shows you are a kind a trustworthy person and that the partner feels safe with you 😊 That, again, demonstrates the beautiful value of kindness.

Fiatlux, that is so beautiful and positive about your children 🥰 I’m so glad you have those memories you see in the photos. Climbing trees has to be one of the joys of childhood. It was for me. There is no way I could scale a tree now as I could then! It’s so lovely your kids had that community in the neighbourhood too. And, yes, watching the birds and butterflies is beautiful 🐦🦋💖

My day has been really hard, pushing me to call The Blue Knot Foundation. But I got a lovely person who was very empathetic and supportive. Once again, kindness means everything 💗 Sometimes it’s all we have left to run us. It is the good energy that keeps us going.

Much love to Everyone 💕

[HappySheep]

Hi ER,

I'm so sorry to hear your day has been tough - and so pleased you got hold of someone helpful and supportive. I too love stories like Ggrandy's experience with the coke - sometimes all it take to make the world bearable if for someone to show a tiny bit of kindness and compassion.

If it helps at all ER, you have been that person for me over the last few weeks as I have reached out over these forums. The person who has taken time out of their day to show kindness and empathy to someone who is struggling. So I thank you for that.

I went interstate over Xmas to visit my parents. While there, we went to an art show and I bought a watercolour painting .... of cows. Given the talking to cows topic on this discussion, I thought you may all appreciate that, among walls of beautiful watercolour paintings of the ocean and forest, I picked the painting of a herd of cows to hang on my wall. Cattle are fabulous animals and I'm gla d to hear that other people 'talk' to them. So curious, always sticky-beaking into what you're up to... Well worth talking to!

[Eagle Ray]

Dear Happy Sheep,

Thank you so much for your kind words 🙏 I’m really happy if I was able to support you. Today I have called 3 helplines in total - Blue Knot, BB and Lifeline. I kept needing support. I won’t try to explain what happened for me in this good things thread. My nervous system is still very wired at the moment. But at least there are those helpful supports there.

I love that you chose a painting of cows 🐮💗 Cattle are indeed curious. My mum drove a mini and told me of a time she was a bit lost in the country and needed directions. She drove up to a farmhouse and the people welcomed her in and gave her directions. When she came out again her mini was surrounded by cows, all up close to it as if to say, “what is this thing?” They were fascinated by the mini. 

I live in a rural town and sometimes I can hear cows from home, though they are not directly across the road as in Grandy’s case. There are kangaroos directly across the road from me though and they do occasionally come into this unit complex. I have possums go over my roof at night. Bandicoots dig about in the gardens here too. I love all the animals 🥰

Thanks Happy Sheep (perhaps you could add a sheep painting to your cow one 😊)

[HappySheep]

Hi ER,

Not contributing to the topic, I know. But I could never have a picture of sheep! Sheep are idiots! I can't bear sheep. 😉 (I know how silly that sounds given my name and all!) Stupid, panicky animals without a brain cell between them.  Goats are fabulous - funny, independent creatures. Cows are amazing. Whatever is going on they'll come and have a look.

I have a great photo of my mother who was watering some plants with a watering can along the fence line and a huge beef cow has wandered over to have a look. My Mum held the watering can up and poured and the cow stuck her head over the fence to drink from the shower.

I'm so excited for Fiatlux's photo album present.  Mum dragged out the old photo albums over Xmas (we live in different States so I don't visit often) and it is, indeed, a fabulous trip down memory lane.  I don't consider myself a pretty woman and have spent my life in jeans and a teeshirt, so even knowing that my mother has carefully kept every rare photo of me in a dress over the decades - ones I have no memory of - is very special.  Fiatlux, this is definitely the best gift ever.

[Ggrand]

Hello everyone,

Happy Sheep, you can put as many things that made you feel happy as you want to, puppies are so beautiful, active and funny…so much fun…I have 3 dogs and no matter if my day was horrible, coming home to my fur girl’s excitement to welcome me home, really does lift my spirits and puts a smile on my face…

Fiatlux, I also enjoy going through the photos I have of my children when they were growing up…it always brings back some good memories of the times we managed to be just us…It’s really sad that photos are becoming more and more obsolete with the phones being able to take then store the photos…..

Eagle Ray, I’m so sorry that you have been struggling and needed to call a couple of life lines….I am so proud of you for ringing them….I do hope that you’re feeling better sweety…. Kangaroos are beautiful creatures, I see a few here across from mine but not many at all…

A man brought his three little sons into the shop today, they were so cute..I asked the ages of them 4,3,2..their dad wanted to buy some shirts for them and shoes for himself….while dad was looking I brought out some Batman toys that just came in earlier that day, so the boys could play with them…..They all sat together playing with the toys and giggling with each other for over an half hour, it was so lovely to watch and listen them….I’m at home now and reflecting on that half hour with a feeling of warmth….

Love, hugs and care everyone…❤️🤗🌈🦋..

Grandy..