Today's joy.........................................There were many!

1. A beautiful sunny day.
2. A beautiful sunny day to enjoy our church worship service and picnic at a local park.
3. A beautiful sunny day to worship our awesome God with our church family but also with husband, son, daughter in law and 2 precious grandchildren.
4. A beautiful sunny day to take a Harley ride with hubby along Lake Michigan and then stopping off for ice cream (caramel collision was the flavorhttp://www.her2support.org/vbulletin...cons/icon7.gif I chose)
5. Ending this beautiful day with a nice walk/run - me, my ipod and a happy heart.

Mary Jo

Synchronicity
 

I had an interesting day. It started because I found a quote from a Buddhist nun on a cancer blog today. It was about accepting bad feelings and moving on, a simplified version of the quote.

http://blog.healthtalk.com/breast-ca...#comment-11471

I have been interested in Buddhism for many years and this really touched me so I did a search for this Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron. This led me to a website with information about her books. It also had a map of Buddhist meditation centers.

http://www.shambhala.org/centers/

Now I live in Northern Mississippi which is not ordinarily a place that you associate with Buddhism. But there was a link to a site in Memphis. So I went there.

http://www.dharmamemphis.com/index2.htm

While I was browsing this site I found a link to a meditation center not very far from where I live. Very rural. Not Memphis. Now I would have been less surprised if it had been near Oxford, since it is more of what you associate with a university town. But I called the number that was listed. I was promptly invited to visit. They were having a festival today. I haven't been out much since my surgery but I put on my breast and got my husband to drive me there. It was beautiful and almost completely Vietnamese. It was like a large family reunion. There was one women there who was not Vietnamese and she explained what was going on and introduced me to several people. I was made to feel very comfortable and had a really good time even though I am still very tired and sore from my surgery. We had missed part of the festival and I couldn't stay long but I did learn more and have found out that there are some people in Oxford who are also interested in learning more and that get together for meditation. So that was my joy for today, and also, seeing the lotus blossoms blooming in the beautiful pool. Now I am almost too sore to move but it was worth it.

Leslie

I just wanted to add something here. This forum is something that I look forward to. I have roamed the web since I was diagnosed and this is the one that touched my heart. This is the one that I compare all the others to. It is so full of loving, caring, thinking people who are talented writers and creative people. I almost said women, but I know there are men here as well. I enjoy the opinions, I am glad of the information, and the support lifts me up when I am having a bad day. I wish I could meet all of you personally. I just want everyone to know that I appreciate the effort that has made this possible and the time that everyone puts in to answer questions and calm fears. I know that I would feel very isolated without it. Thank you all.

Pema Chodron! Yeah!
 

Hi Leslie,

I LOVE Pema Chodron! Her works are simple, but not easy. Reading her books and listening to her CD's have been such a huge help to me with this cancer stuff! I would personally recommend "Confortable with Uncertainty" as a great book for our circumstances.

Happy you found her, she is amazing!

Love to you,

Donna

My joy today was being able to take Eli my grandson to the swimming pool for a few hours. His father had to go to work for a few hours and his mother had shopping and housework to get done. So Eli and I went to the pool. It was a beautiful day and even though there were no other children at the pool Eli and I manged to have a good time just playing catch with a ball in the water. He is the light of my life and every minute with him brings me such joy.

Believe Me...
 

my cat always answers, even when I'm not talking! LOL... My first joy is always the cats, and then other things just fill in over the rest of the day!

One of my greatest joys everyday is this forum. I don't know where I would be everyday without the support of all of the folks here. You are the pillars that help keep me supported and moving forward everyday. When I was little, whenever I was sick or hurt I would ask my mom "have you ever had this or felt like this?" and she always answered "yes - honey, I know what you are feeling" - I needed to know that I was not the only one to have ever felt that way or hurt like that... and that is what this site is for me, the support and reassurance that I am not going through this journey alone. Thanks everyone!

Joy today was watching my 5-year old grandson, who lives with me, board his first-ever school bus without any trepidation. This is the same kid who accompanied me in Sept 06 when I had my hair practically shaved off. He wasn't suppose to be there, but his Mother did not come home from a night out in time for me to leave for the hair appointment. He was my pillar of strength on that day as he laughed and giggled. He continues to give me the strength to fight this disease, and he showers his Grandma with love. I am blessed and joyful.

Louise

I loved Andi's dog rescue story from a few posts back. I rescued a 3lb, flea bitten chihuahua from my mother-in-laws farm back in 2000 on Mother's Day. Everyone said he would probably die on the trip home, but I was determined to nurse him back to health. He now weighs 7lbs. and I am rewarded daily for rescuing him. He is my soul dog. He cuddles with me every night. He is my daily joy.

Another joy I received yesterday was both of my daughters calling me to see how I am feeling. Both of them remembered that I have been feeling a little more fatigued lately.

I really get a joy reading about everyone else's joy and sometimes it can be the smallest things. Seeing my 2 grandbabies smile is one of my greatest joys.

It's meeeee!!!
 

Today's Joy: I stood in the kitchen and just held my husband tight. I hugged him, smiled, we did not say a word. In those 5 minutes we needed no words because it felt like we said a million already. I love the conversations that we have without even speaking, they remain our best ones ever. I am blessed to have found my true love and will cherish the time we have together an eternity!!

Hugs, Prayers and Big Love going out to 'ya all!!>>Believe51

Today's Joy -

Going to the park with daughter in law and granddaughter Jennah ( age 7) and grandson Isaiah (age 18 months) then taking granddaughter for a special grandma/granddaughter lunch before our school year begins. We're going to Wendy's where grandma can have a healthier lunch and granddaughter likes it.

And breakfast today .................... hang on to your hats.............can you believe it..............................Cocoa Puffs for this grandma. Hahahahahha! We bought some little boxes for a trip we were going on and one of the cereals was Cocoa Puffs. No one ate it yet BUT I did today. Just finished it and drank the cold chocolate milk out of the bowl YUM! Not the most nutritious breakfast BUT I enjoyed every crunch of it.

Happy day all,

Mary Jo

Yesterday, I sent my son off to college. He passed his road test on Friday and drove off by himself. It was a big day for both of us. I never thought I'd make it this far. Then my friends and I drove out east on Long Island, and I walked in to a field of sunflowers to cut a huge bunch to share. I never did that before. Bumble bees flying all around me. It was beautiful! This morning, I got up at 5 am to watch the lunar eclipse on my birthday. Never did that either. I saw a shooting star and some bats as well as the sun rise. Then I went back to sleep. Life is good.

My joy today is that my twin girls are 32.....oh wait a minute, that means I am getting really old...so is that a joy? Yes it is...it means I am still surviving and enjoying each and every beautiful day I'm given.

I agree Sheila getting older is looking better all the time. Congratulations on having 32 year old twins. You did good. And here's to old age.

Just Sit Back And Soak In The *joy*...!
 

GOSH THIS JOY THREAD IS FABULOUS. What a great idea, Brenda! It's a beautiful gift you gave each of us, that keeps on giving, day after day... Thank you, thank you, thank you.http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/gs...gesture-thanks

Whenever Andrea Bocelli's Romanza CD plays, wherever I am, I drift into reverie. Also when Savage Garden's Truly, Madly, Deeply is on, I become transported to a cloud midst the heavenly blue sky and take a perch, observing the world. It is magical. The percussion, the words make my heart quiver. I WANT TO STAND WITH YOU ON A MOUNTAIN. (Can you see yourself atop one?) I WANT TO BATHE WITH YOU IN THE SEA. Dreamy. I WANT TO LIVE LIKE THIS FOREVER UNTIL THE SKY FALLS DOWN ON ME... It just fills me with this overpowering feeling of LOVE for every one and every thing that Is! Today, as I was jotting something down, over my computer, my wrist accidentally hit the CD Play button and my song of Love came on.

It reminded me of THE MOMENT. Years ago. I was driving west in the late afternoon in Boca, going to my daughter Ali's house, to visit my then tiny granddaughter. Josie is now about to turn 11. The song came on and all I could think was LIFE IS SO WONDERFUL. AND JOYFUL. IT IS SO GOOD TO BE ALIVE. THANK YOU GOD. I looked up and the sun was getting ready to set. The sky was incredible. Giant brush strokes of vivid neon orange and splatters of hot pink stretched out above me as far as I could see. I was listening to my song of passion and became aware of the magical sight as my ears were soaking in the bliss of the vibe coming from the car radio. I bent my head down to get an even fuller view then reminded myself that I was driving and needed to look at the road. So I managed to look up and around at the same time, taking it all in. IT WAS A WOW NOW MOMENT I still carry with me and replicate every time I hear Truly, Madly, Deeply.

It's now an old song but I still catch it from time to time in the car. I have sat in parking lots, waiting for it to end, never wanting to stop in the middle, wanting every last drop of joy from it that I can reap. And the blue sky in Florida is bluer than any where else on earth, I swear. I can recall the buckets full of spilt paint painted by a master covering the blueness with coral and fuchsia and I feel utterly blessed. Nothing has changed, but suddenly I feel touched by something quite sacred and wondrous. JOY. SERENITY. BELIEF. LOVE. May they be yours as well...
Andi http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/gs...celeb-confettiThank you God for the gift of this glorious day!

Today...hmmm...

-No more chemo, for now, and HOPEFULLY (I will myself to think), never again!

-I saw little, tiny eyelashes coming in.

-My 7-year old told me he was the "laughingstock" of the school because I sent a little drawing of a cat in his lunch--it was the sight of him using such a word!

-I got 10 new things put on my store's website.

I love this! I hope to do it every day! It really puts things in perspective!!!

Another artist friend came to help unpack my studio. I may soon have my art table cleared off enough to actually paint on it!!! AND she brought a homemade chocolate cake with blissful frosting ......

PS: Kerchub, I laughed out loud at the "laughingstock" remark!!

Sheila
 

The whole idea is to get REALLY REALLY OLD!

my joy was waking up in the middle of the night and going outside in my robe to see the lunar eclipse - although it wasn't my birthday, It was still pretty neat. Mary ann, nice new picture - glad to hear from you.

Can work be joy?

I have been going 150 miles an hour at work, but it is good stuff!

Ahhh - today's joy was hearing my favorite Elton John song on the radio in the car and singing it at the top of my voice!! Yeah - that was fun... always is.