about happiness (and swings)

With awesome friends recently departed from dinner, girls put to bed, baby boys in their rockers and Laura staging the house for evening TV watching and snuggling, I took Stone outside to play and sat on the tire swing for a little. She stepped on to the patio and smiled at my silly antics on the swing. That's when it hit me hard. This is happiness. In this minute and with frightful clarity all the blessings in my life jumped to the forefront of my often-way-too-busy mind. On that swing while exchanging witty banter with the most amazing wife and mother in the world... it hit me. I am happy. Happy in my faith. Happy in my family. Happy in my work. Happy with my big dumb dog. Happy in my house. Happy. Happy my lawnmower put a chunk of wood through a window tonight. Happy I mowed the yard too short in one strip (thanks Ben). I'm just so freaking happy. There is no other shoe-to-drop to wait for. Both shoes, er, sandals tonight are well, happy. So, I'm going to soak it up.

The rolling, distant thunder and brisk Texas evening breeze was divine and addicting. I could've stayed out there all night. It's been easily 15 years since I'd really swung on a tire swing by myself. Truly let my head drift upside down, the rubber pressing against my shoulders and float around in aimless swaying circles. Everything looked so funny upside-down. I was cracking up as the blood rushed to my head. Check out those clouds! Wicked! No wonder kids love to hang out upside-down.

I'm only 30 and I'd forgotten... shame on me.

When was the last time you let go? Stopped. Reflected for a couple minutes? Exchanged some silly, witty banter about how cool you think you are (despite the broken window and terribly-mowed yard) with your spouse? When was the last time you walked barefoot on the grass? When was the last time you intentionally took a huge, deep breath filling every square inch of your lungs and exhaled as slow as possible? When was the last time you closed your eyes for a full minute (yes, full 60 seconds) during the day? When was the last time you hung upside down?! Find a playground. Swing a minute. Close your eyes. Count your blessings. Recognize the happiness around you. Appreciate it and for the love of God, be thankful for it. Turn off the noise in your life. Only you and God know what that is and we've all got some, so quit making excuses and turn it off.

Remember what it was like to see the world upside-down. Truly joyful, simple funny sights three hundred and sixty degrees! If you can't laugh at Stone running upside-down, you can't laugh at anything! Tonight and in life, I'm happy and you should be too. Haters gonna hate. I get that. To them, I say... God loves you, check out the funny pictures I took below and go find a swing.

ps. C&K I'm in love with your new addition and have no doubt that 17 years from now my boys will be fighting to get admitted to the Ivy League school that's going to scout her just so they can be closer to her.

pps. Special kudos to DDO for the new rope for the swing! Well engineered if it's holding my heavy self! Even the new door looks good upside-down!