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Monthly Archives: November 2009
Nov 30 2009

Cheesy Gifts

by Holly

cheesey gift

In the car on the way home from work this evening, in the middle of our how are yous and how was your days, Andrew announced that he had a gift for me. He reached into his coat pocket and handed me a piece of paper. It was a coupon for a dollar off on Sargento cheese. Actually, it was two coupons. “One for now, one for later,” he proudly reported.

I laughed, he laughed, and it was all good. Really good. Even though I can’t remember the last time I actually used a grocery store coupon, that moment of a shared chuckle after a long day was exactly I needed.

Plus, I love cheese.

“Laughter is the closest distance between two people.”
                                                                                 –Victor Borge

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© 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space–mentally and physically–to live happily ever after. And to find lots to laugh about.

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Nov 29 2009

Lucky Ticket

by Holly

Ticket-dog

“The psychological and moral comfort of a presence at once humble and
understanding–this is the greatest benefit that the dog has bestowed upon man.”
                                                                                  –Percy Bysshe Shelley

Our pup that we adopted nearly three weeks ago came from a home with two other dogs–one of whom had already been adopted by the time we were there and the other, a small cattle dog named Ticket. I met Ticket briefly at the pound. He had a lot of words, as is to be expected of anyone–or any pup–who has been cooped up for as long as he had been.

We weren’t in a position to adopt the two dogs. Really, the idea never even crossed our minds. However, knowing that Ticket was a sibling of sorts to our new little girl, I felt emotionally invested in him, too. His sister got to go to a nice, loving new home. Ticket deserved the same.

When I checked Ticket’s Petfinder ad on Friday to see if he had found a new home yet, there was an “URGENT” note attached to his description. It said that, because of his intake date, his name was near the top of the euthanasia list. I know, sadly, that there are thousands and thousands of pets out there who never get to go to new home–but it just seems so very wrong that they have to die because of it.

I posted a write-up about Ticket on Facebook, Twitter, the intranet at my workplace, and on Yelp. Several people responded, and a few others helped spread the word. When I checked his listing again this evening, I was delighted to see that Ticket had gone to a wonderful foster home and that he was making great strides in his new, less stressful living situation.

So, what I am most grateful for today is that there are caring souls out there who open their hearts and homes to provide foster care to pets in need of an honest-to-goodness second chance at a happy life.

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© 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space–mentally and physically–for disadvantaged pets live happily ever after.

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Nov 28 2009

All Wrong–but it’s Alright

by Holly

anjali mudra

One of my favorite things to do is to take back-to-back yoga classes. The first a flowing, moderately challenging vinyasa class; the second a tranquil and restorative yin class. Together, they recharge me. And since I’m not able to get to a studio class as often as I’d like, I’m all about optimization.

Today’s classes, however, were led by a substitute teacher–and everything about the classes was wrong. Not wrong as in incorrect; just different. My expectations were not met–but I wasn’t entirely disappointed either. Here’s why:

When the chemistry is perfect–student & teacher, husband & wife, best friends, business partners–joy is effortless. You want to spend all of your time in their company. When the pairing is so-so–or a bit rocky–it’s up to ourselves to create the joy we’re looking for. It’s a daunting task, but also a powerful reminder that happiness is entirely within our own control.

I wouldn’t say that I succeeded entirely in this pursuit, but I certainly took a step in the right direction. And for that, I’m grateful.

“Gratitude allows us to reshape the meaning of any situation, so we can choose the perspective from which we view a joy, a sorrow, a disappointment–even success.”
                                                                                                       –Dr. Robin Smith

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© 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space–mentally and physically–to live happily ever after. (Image courtesy of madame.furie via Creative Commons.)

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Nov 27 2009

Putting Gratitude Into Perspective

by Holly

heart-hands

I have a to-do list that’s a mile and a half long–and an I want to-do list twice that length. I have lists at work and and at home, about the pets, about my writing, and about yoga. About decluttering and simplifying. Healthy stuff, us time, the holidays, and volunteering. As a result, I start a lot of sentences with the words “I have to.”

More often than not, Andrew corrects me, saying “No, you get to.”

Touche, my dear.

With a simple switch of a word–I get to vs. I have to–suddenly the to-do lists seem less overwhelming. Gratitude replaces obligation. It’s all about perspective.

Getting in the gratitude habit
For as long as I can remember in my adult years, the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been a stressful time, complete with feelings of not living up to the stereotypical and commercial expectations. Blech. Totally defeating the spirit of the season, right?

Between now and Christmas–and hopefully long beyond–it is my wish to take time each day to focus on all that I have to be grateful for. All that I get to do. All the good that exists in our world. And all that I already have.

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© 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space–mentally and physically–to live happily ever after. (Image courtesy of allyaubry via Creative Commons.)

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Nov 25 2009

Walking in the Air

by Holly

snowman

Noah Biorkman is a 5-year-old boy from Michigan who was diagnosed with Stage IV neuroblastoma more than two years ago. He passed away on Monday.

When it became clear to Noah’s mother Diana that her son would probably not be here to celebrate his favorite holiday on December 25, the family moved up its festivities to November 8. As part of that celebration, Noah’s mother posted a request online for folks to send Christmas cards to her little boy. The request quickly circulated the Internet; caught  the attention of local, national, and international media; and tugged at the heartstrings of many. So much so that Noah received more than one million Christmas cards at his home. One of which was from me.

I sent Noah my last Raymond Briggs‘ Snowman card, which I’ve been hanging on to for years. For anyone who’s not familiar with the story, it’s about a young boy who builds a snowman in his front yard and, in the late-night hours, it comes to life. The boy introduces the snowman to his world–shiny ornaments on the tree, the fruit bowl in the kitchen, roller skates, and dress-up clothes–and the snowman introduces the boy to his world which includes a magical, soaring flight over the forest, ocean, and Northern Lights–all the way to the North Pole. It’s a dream-come-true sort of event that comes to an end all too soon for the boy. All that’s left is a fond memory and a tangible reminder that our time together is not infinite.

It’s a beautiful story–perhaps the most somber children’s Christmas story I’ve encountered–but when I read about Noah’s mother’s plea and her plans to give her son the celebration of a lifetime, I knew that remaining Snowman Christmas card was meant for this very real little boy.

Watch The Snowman–complete with the 1982 David Bowie intro (26:07)

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© 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space–mentally and physically–to live happily ever after. Because what fun is life if you can’t dream about fairytale endings?

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