SandraDodd.com/gratitudeNo matter where a person is, a step up is a step up. Happier is happier.
SandraDodd.com/abundance
SandraDodd.com/negativity
SandraDodd.com/joy
SandraDodd.com/mentalhealth2
photo by Gail Higgins
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query /gratitude/health. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query /gratitude/health. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday, May 23, 2025
Gratitude, abundance, positivity
SandraDodd.com/mentalhealth2
photo by Gail Higgins
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Keep it clean
If you don't feel you will be happy, then you won't be. The largest part of happiness has to do with gratitude and joy. Either of those can be snuffed out by the recitation of ills.
photo by Sandra Dodd, of an old tree stump at Sandia Crest
Monday, April 22, 2013
Happy monkey
I went to the grocery store alone. It was crowded and people were moving fast, but were calm and smiling. I saw three young children. Their relatives were being very sweet to all of them. In other families, older kids were being helpful.
On the way to my van, a man who was 35 or 40 was happily riding the back of his shopping cart down the hill toward his car, with the wind blowing his hair.
On the way home, I thought of the cutest thing I had heard. A young mom had been holding a toddler, and he said something and touched her mouth. She said, "Monkey?"
He indicated that she was right.
"You're a monkey?"
"Happy," he said.
"You're a happy monkey? Happy monkey!"
And he was. He was very happy.
So easily, we can tip two degrees over into the sorrows and fears of the world. Without trying, we can fall into a pool of despair and take our friends and families down with us.
Not everyone can be happy today, but if your child is whole and well, for one moment or for ten do your part to help him be as happy a monkey as he can be.
photo by Julie D
Monday, October 19, 2015
Healthy gratitude
I'm writing this just after returning from a long afternoon at the urgent care center.
If you're reading it in health, at home or out doing something that takes strength and stamina, please breathe in a bit of appreciation of your abilities and breathe out enough gratitude to share.
photo by Holly Dodd
Thursday, August 27, 2020
For one moment, or ten...
This post is from April 2013. It was called "Happy Monkey," the first time. It's a good time for a re-run.
I went to the grocery store alone. It was crowded and people were moving fast, but were calm and smiling. I saw three young children. Their relatives were being very sweet to all of them. In other families, older kids were being helpful.
On the way to my van, a man who was 35 or 40 was happily riding the back of his shopping cart down the hill toward his car, with the wind blowing his hair.
On the way home, I thought of the cutest thing I had heard. A young mom had been holding a toddler, and he said something and touched her mouth. She said, "Monkey?"
He indicated that she was right.
"You're a monkey?"
"Happy," he said.
"You're a happy monkey? Happy monkey!"
And he was. He was very happy.
So easily, we can tip two degrees over into the sorrows and fears of the world. Without trying, we can fall into a pool of despair and take our friends and families down with us.
Not everyone can be happy today, but if your child is whole and well, for one moment or for ten do your part to help him be as happy a monkey as he can be.
SandraDodd.com/gratitude/health
photo by Julie D
I went to the grocery store alone. It was crowded and people were moving fast, but were calm and smiling. I saw three young children. Their relatives were being very sweet to all of them. In other families, older kids were being helpful.
On the way to my van, a man who was 35 or 40 was happily riding the back of his shopping cart down the hill toward his car, with the wind blowing his hair.
On the way home, I thought of the cutest thing I had heard. A young mom had been holding a toddler, and he said something and touched her mouth. She said, "Monkey?"
He indicated that she was right.
"You're a monkey?"
"Happy," he said.
"You're a happy monkey? Happy monkey!"
And he was. He was very happy.
So easily, we can tip two degrees over into the sorrows and fears of the world. Without trying, we can fall into a pool of despair and take our friends and families down with us.
Not everyone can be happy today, but if your child is whole and well, for one moment or for ten do your part to help him be as happy a monkey as he can be.
photo by Julie D
Friday, November 23, 2012
Seeing through eyes of gratitude
Ren wrote:
Seeing our life work, our choices through the eyes of gratitude changes everything. When financial difficulties set in, I can be grateful for our health, for our togetherness and the true wealth we DO enjoy in this country. When I'm sick, I can be grateful I have family to care for me and that I can recover from whatever is ailing me, unlike many folks suffering much worse fates."
—Ren Allen
photo by Sandra Dodd
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Intangible gifts
For many families, this can be a time of stress and love and joy and exhaustion and fear of failure, concerning procurement and presentation of food or presents.
Remember intangible gifts. Remember to be kind and quiet and sweet, around and through the sound and swirl. Be grateful and express your gratitude to others, for help, for health, for being, for smiles, and for love. Touch and speak gently.
photo by Meghan Pawlowski
Friday, December 6, 2019
Intangible gifts
For many families, this can be a time of stress and love and joy and exhaustion and fear of failure, concerning procurement and presentation of food or presents.
Remember intangible gifts. Remember to be kind and quiet and sweet, around and through the sound and swirl. Be grateful and express your gratitude to others, for help, for health, for being, for smiles, and for love. Touch and speak gently.
photo by Meghan Pawlowski
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Gifts
For many families, this can be a time of stress and love and joy and exhaustion and fear of failure, concerning procurement and presentation of food or presents.
Remember intangible gifts. Remember to be kind and quiet and sweet, around and through the sound and swirl. Be grateful and express your gratitude to others, for help, for health, for being, for smiles, and for love. Touch and speak gently.
I'm grateful that I can leave my sewing supplies out, because we have no babies or toddlers in our home these days who could be wounded by pins or scissors. That might seem too small a joy, but for many years I couldn't start sewing projects I couldn't finish before babies awoke.
But maybe you need "a real gift" and you're out of ideas. Here's something I wrote a dozen years ago, when my children were... a dozen years younger (12, 9 and 7):
"Some people are just not cut out to cruise the Barbie aisles. Luckily there are alternatives and you were probably going there anyway. There are fine educational toys to be found at the hardware store, sporting goods store, auto parts store, and even grocery stores, but people usually go there with a mission and forget to browse."
There is more at: SandraDodd.com/gifts
photo by Sandra Dodd
Remember intangible gifts. Remember to be kind and quiet and sweet, around and through the sound and swirl. Be grateful and express your gratitude to others, for help, for health, for being, for smiles, and for love. Touch and speak gently.
I'm grateful that I can leave my sewing supplies out, because we have no babies or toddlers in our home these days who could be wounded by pins or scissors. That might seem too small a joy, but for many years I couldn't start sewing projects I couldn't finish before babies awoke.
But maybe you need "a real gift" and you're out of ideas. Here's something I wrote a dozen years ago, when my children were... a dozen years younger (12, 9 and 7):
"Some people are just not cut out to cruise the Barbie aisles. Luckily there are alternatives and you were probably going there anyway. There are fine educational toys to be found at the hardware store, sporting goods store, auto parts store, and even grocery stores, but people usually go there with a mission and forget to browse."
There is more at: SandraDodd.com/gifts
photo by Sandra Dodd
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Limitations
There are no guarantees, but appreciation and gratitude are better than any of their opposites.
photo by Karen James
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