Happy Musings

May 29, 2009

May 08, 2009

April 29, 2009

FORREST GUMP'S MOM WAS RIGHT by Sally Huss

"Guilt is the guilty party.  If it shows up, send it packing!"

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

I want to resurrect the place of "stupid" in our lives.  More precisely, I want to raise "stupid" to a place of prominence, put it up there on a pedestal where I think it belongs. 

This is what I mean. There is something that goes on in many of our lives for which "stupid" could be a big boon. And, that is guilt! Guilt is stupid, no question about it. But to know this and get rid of the feeling of guilt is another matter. That's where "stupid" comes in.

As we look back at our lives, whether we are 20, 40, 60 or 80 there are many stupid things we have done that may have caused hardship to ourselves or others. Naturally we can rationalize our past behavior in any of these activities by saying we didn't know any better or if we knew then what we know now, etc. Blah. Blah. Blah. All this is true, of course, but it doesn't necessarily get rid of that awful feeling when the mind wanders back to those times or something trips us into remembering our faults or faulty actions.

This is the beauty of "stupid" that I am trying to explain. I say, take the word "stupid" and apply it to all those guilt-ridden memories of the past, distant or otherwise, for surely they were. Then all lumped together, but still open for additions, and with their proper title, place the lot behind your back where you can't see it.

Now here's the best part. Love "stupid!" Love the whole thing with all your heart. Love "stupid" along with all the regret associated with it. Love all that it represents. Put your loving arms around it, if they can reach, and hug "stupid" with all your might.

As you know, love is the great problem-solver. Let it clear the air here. Love the word, love the contents and love the place you have put it, behind you. What relief you will feel!

Love is normally associated with the present or future. Why not have it behind you too? All those stupid things in reality were just a lack of love in the first place, even tough love. So this way it puts things right. It sets things straight. Let love show its stuff and triumph again. This time over guilt. Forrest Gump's mom was right that stupid is as stupid does. In that case we have all been stupid at one time or another, but we don't have to stay that way. Love is the answer, as it always is.

Yep, you gotta' love "stupid!" Not to would really be stupid!

April 02, 2009

Less Might Just be More!

"Things are never the way the were.  They are simply, the way the are."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!” I offer it here to brighten your day. Please share it with your friends.)

We are in a different world. Perhaps it's the same world with a different perspective. We are no longer as a country sitting on a pot of gold, leisurely indulging ourselves or following our every desire without concern. These desires might have been homes, cars, boats, travel, education for our children or grandchildren, causes to help the poor, solutions to help the sick. Now we have concerns, things to be attended to. Our priorities have changed.

What amazes me in this change of scenery is that there is still the hopefulness that things will get back to the way they were. Politicians and pundits argue on how to do this. But, things never get back to the way they were.

Our planet is sailing through space at an enormous pace and each moment we are in a different place with different influences. Nothing is ever the same, no matter how similar it may look. This is a moving, changing, evolving environment we live in. Everything in it is changing, as are we.

My answer to this wish to return to the past, even if the past is just a year ago, is to give it up and deal with what is here now. There is really no other choice. There may be a wish to have it so, but not a choice.

The one choice we do have is whether to enjoy the state we are in or not, again, no matter the state. Who is to say that going to a public school is not as good as going to a private school? There are lessons to be learned everywhere.

Who is to say that living in an apartment with roommates is not as good as living in your own home? We may learn to get along with each other better. Who is to say that eating at home is not as good as eating out? Perhaps we will learn a new talent. Perhaps we will learn to nourish ourselves better.

Yes, already I've seen concerns take the form of conservation. "No, I don't need a bag for my greeting cards," a customer will say. "Thanks for the break in rent." "Let's drive together."

Yes, less might just be more! It's all in how you look at it.

March 17, 2009

Happiness: Need money? How about a Blessing? by Sally Huss

"Give a quick thought to your concerns, but a longer one to your blessings."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

Well, we can't forget about our everyday life and our everyday demands and our everyday bills, but we mustn't let them consume us. Yes, a quick thought devoted to our concerns, then a plan of action, and then the best part -- thoughts about our blessings. There is no end to those.

At one point in my life I was gone. I was lost. I was on my way out. There was nothing left of me. I was on the verge of death. Then through a miraculous healing I was on the mend. I got better and better until I reached the point where I was well again. I was so grateful I vowed never to complain about anything from then on. I had dissolved to where there was nothing left of me but consciousness. I could see what was important -- life! Not things or circumstances, but life!

So, I remind myself that during these difficult times, it is more important than ever to be happy and grateful. If you're alive, it's enough. Anything on top of that is a bonus. This may be as good as it gets circumstance-wise. But there are still big areas of growth we can attain with our hearts and minds.

"Blessings" sounds like a religious term or a spiritual term. To me it is simply a life term. There are naught but blessings. These are gifts. When you have nothing, everything is a gift. Yes, if you really think about it, everything is a gift. From having family and friends to having a job or the possibility of a job to having something to eat, a few clothes to wear and a place to sleep. These are the outside gifts, but there are the gifts inside -- our ability to love, our ability to reason and our senses, sight, hearing and so forth, which we would not trade for a million dollars. Blessings do come in all shapes and sizes.

I'm not being passive about the circumstances we find ourselves in these days. It is just that I have always found that circumstances improve tremendously when a happy and grateful attitude is maintained. And even if those circumstances do not improve, the time working to improve them is so much more enjoyable when the heart is happy and the point of view is positive.

So, I've come to the conclusion that the best way to circumvent the present circumstances we all find ourselves in is to see them as blessings, ones that forces us to stretch our collective smile!

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

You may receive FREE Sally's Happy Musings weekly by e-mail and previews of Sally's new self-help downloadable books (10 GREAT THOUGHTS ON LOVE and 10 GREAT THOUGHTS ON FRIENDSHIP) by going to http://www.sallyhuss.com/sallyhuss_signup.htm . Also you may download her Have-It-All Formula FREE

March 13, 2009

TOES ARE PEOPLE TOO! by Sally Huss

"The need to express kindness is as great as the need to receive kindness.  Kindly do your part."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!” I offer it here to brighten your day. Please share it with your friends.)

It was a cold, rainy day in  La Jolla . Unusual, although it was winter, it was still unusual for the area. That's why I figured my son ended up coming into our art gallery one morning with a big bulky jacket on and nothing to cover his feet but sandals. He always wears sandals, as do many young people in this beach community. It's part of the dress code here.

But, as I looked at his feet, beginning to turn blue, I wondered why he had left them out in the cold. The only explanation I could come up with is that they were too far away from his thinking center or that he couldn't be bothered.

I had oftentimes in the past failed to care for parts of my own body, even my feet, because I was doing "more important things." And, at the time they had seemed so far away too. They could take care of themselves. They were easy to forget.

But now that I think about them, they do so much good. They chip in every day, all day long, getting me from here to there, hopping over things, hardly tripping on any path I take. They should be cared for. They should be revered.

Yes, I could understand my son's disregard for them, but also his need to care for them. Now I've decided to look at this slight of foot issue and see where it takes me.

As children we are taught to be kind, to care for one another. It is part of society's civilizing process. It goes on in homes, schools and churches. Without this kindness and care in our lives we would disintegrate as a species, as a society, even as a nation, which is really what we are seeing now.

But also this kindness and care must be present to remain as an intact, healthy human being. Fortunately we have the "ouch" syndrome that keeps us in check. When we cross this threshold, of not being careful, and parts of us get hurt, we hurt. Cutting a finger, getting too close to a fire, tripping on a step and falling, going out in the snow without a jacket and catching cold, lying in the sun for hours without sun protection and getting burned are all indications of a lack of care.

Also there are the hurts from a lack of care that take longer to manifest like smoking and cancer, poor eating habits and heart disease, etc.

The value of being careful cannot be over estimated not only personally, but also nationally and internationally. The lack of care has now affected our financial stability, not only locally, but globally. The government was not careful. Its regulators and legislators were lax. Companies were less than careful. In many cases their CEO's were greedy and morally remiss. Individuals were also not careful, trusting their stability on unstable practices. Banks gave in to the demands of want-to-be homeowners and their own desire to make deals. Care was not taken here. Ouch!

Back to feet and kindness to the body. Cold feet know their limits. Coldness stresses the kidneys and challenges the immune system. If that system is not strong, invaders waltz in and a throat becomes sore. Ouch! Sinuses become infected. Ouch! The head throbs. Ouch!

I was once playing tennis with a friend of mine, Stu Marshall, one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the San Diego area. On this day he mentioned that he had not gotten much sleep the night before. A special case arrived that he had to attend to. A guy had severally damaged his back riding one of those bucking bull machines in a local bar. He had no insurance and no one would help him. Stu took the case, did the surgery and put his back, back in order. I said, "Doesn't it just irk you that a perfectly healthy person would go out of his way to put himself in such danger?"

Stu's response was, "I learned long ago not to judge situations, just handle them." I guessed so. But for the one hurting it is a hard way to learn.

In most cases, without carelessness there would be little need for the services of someone like Stu. How many businesses have grown out of lack of care? Much of the health industry is just that.

Now back to personal care. Why take care again? Because of the "Ouch!" if you don't. But also on another level -- the answer is kindness. Kindness is a loving quality that resides in all of us and we need to bring it out more and more.

Again, as young children we are taught to be kind to one another and to all that is alive -- our cats, dogs, turtles, birds, frogs, etc. Yes, we need to be kind to everything that is alive. But in reality isn't everything alive? Isn't everything made up of this mysterious, miraculous energy we call life? And as such, it is alive and therefore, most worthy of kindness.

If we lived with this awareness how would it change our point of view in regards to care taking? How about it in regards to those cold feet with their active, work-horse toes?

The cells of the toes and rest of the feet come in the form of muscles, ligaments, bone, cartilage, blood and even nails. Each cell is an individual doing his part for the betterment of the whole. He is complete yet dependent upon those around him. He does his job and he appreciates any kindness shown to him.

Now the foot too, as a whole, certainly appreciates kind gestures, i.e. a warm pair of socks on a cold day. The foot with its toes even has friends who will send a message to someone who can help when he is in trouble. But it is for that someone to hear the message, know the foot, including the toes, is cold and in need of covering. And then, it is for that someone to act out of compassion and self-interest to fix the situation. When the one in charge of the big picture fails to hear and heed the voices of the little people, the cells, the one in charge will pay a price and suffer as the lowly toes may be suffering. Ouch!

I have one friend who epitomes kindness in all its forms of caring. Carmen is harmonious in everything she does and beautiful in every way.

Carmen cares for herself, from top to bottom. She does yoga for her body, plays bridge for her mind, studies and invests her money for her financial stability. She has a wonderful husband, but maintains her own individuality, not melting into him. She travels often to far places to feed her curious nature, expanding her knowledge and adding to her life experiences. She is a gourmet cook and charming hostess. She is as adept on the internet as she is comfortable in a roomful of guests. She is someone full of kindness for herself and others. Besides this, she cares for her feet, always providing the best shoes for her walks around town or around Europe. She knows her toes and looks after them.

But how to get a young person like my son to hear the callings of his feet and pay attention to their needs before he ends up with the flu? He is one of the kindest people I know. Everyone agrees. Nope, a mother can't do it. A mother can't bring this to her son's attention. As always, the feet have to fend for themselves.

Why can't we treat our toes like people? Why can't we love them and care for them as if they were our best friends? After a round of tennis, a walk in the park, a twirl on the dance floor, or a wiggle in a bathtub full of bubbles we might just think that they are.

Smiles,

Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

You may receive FREE Sally's Happy Musings weekly by e-mail and previews of Sally's new self-help downloadable books (10 GREAT THOUGHTS ON LOVE and 10 GREAT THOUGHTS ON FRIENDSHIP) by going to http://www.sallyhuss.com/sallyhuss_signup.htm . Also you may download her Have-It-All Formula FREE.

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Website: http://www.sallyhuss.com/

March 04, 2009

Way Beyond Words is the Heart by Sally Huss

"Way beyond words is the heart.  Fortunately, it's so close."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

It is now that seems to be difficult. It is now that seems to be messy. It used to be before that people thought times were difficult, but now it's now.

People are scrambling to find a safe haven. They are gathering their goods and loved ones and holding on. They are fearful of a future that is not here but pretends to be here and is forecast to be coming.

People are hopeful that their world as they have known it will not end. They need hope. They need direction. They need help. No one who is in charge is really in charge, but they are looking for someone to be in charge who will fix it.

Sometimes it cannot be fixed. It can only be lived through. And the best way to live through anything is -- happily.

Where in the world can people turn for hope, for stability, for peace? Within! That's the only place of true solace. That's the only place of true joy.

Now, how to get there is the trick. Try this: Release all that you see -- by closing your eyes and being in a peaceful mode. Release all that you hear -- by being in a quiet space. Release all that you know -- by being in a humble state. Release all that you want -- by being in a grateful place.

Then enter the heart. That's home. That's where you are loved. That's where you are at peace. That's where you know you belong. That's home now and forever. Once there, never leave.

You may open your eyes. You may move into noisy spaces. You may listen to lofty words. You may feel needs. But never leave home. It is the only place where you can help yourself and in turn help others. It is the place of true understanding, true gratitude, true rest. Never leave home. Home never leaves you.

Remember, way beyond words is the heart. Be glad it's so close!

Smiles,

Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

(To find out how you can send and receive my Happy Musings daily to brighten your day and others, go to www.happymusings.com .

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive line of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

February 17, 2009

What is the Most Important Thing to know Right Now? by Sally Huss

"Goodness matters, for goodness sake!"

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

As I woke up this morning with the remnants of a mildly disturbing dream lingering in my head, I thought that it would be nice to have a perfect bedtime story to read to myself every night before dropping off to sleep. It would set things right for the mind. Naturally a prayer or two are helpful as is the practice of counting one's blessings. But I thought that a magical bedtime story would be wonderful, one that went deep into oneself and planted the perfect thoughts.

Then I wrote it.

Here it is:

There is a wonderful plan of which you are a part. It is to bring goodness into the world, into your country, into your town, into your home, into your life. You, like all people, are the container of this goodness. You have the ability to spread goodness wherever you go and wherever you are.

The plan includes you, but is not about you. It is about goodness, and the more you realize this, the better you feel. The better you feel the more goodness you spread. When you think of yourself, think of goodness. When you think of your work, think of goodness. When you think of the people around you, think of goodness. When you think of the circumstances in your life, think of goodness.

This is why you are here – to be good, think good, do good and feel good.

What could be better than that?

That is my story. I'm going to read it every night and see how it affects my life. I invite you to do the same and then let me know how it affects your life as well. It is based on the absolute truth.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

(To find out how you can send and receive my Happy Musings daily to brighten your day and others, go to www.happymusings.com . To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive line of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

February 10, 2009 (Life)

Want to Stop Worrying? by Sally Huss

"If worrying did some good, everything would be worth worrying about."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

Worrying has become a popular pastime lately. With the economy the way it is, the job market the way it is, the housing market and the stock market the way they are worrying has become epidemic in our society. As unpleasant as it is, it is not easily gotten rid of or let go of. But it must. And to do so requires some information.

The first is to understand what it is. Worry is the fearful concern for something or someone or of something that might happen. It has to do with the future. It is the continual mental action of fear. And like all fear, it is based on the lack of something – usually knowledge. Worrying grinds away on a subject, turning it over and over again, trying to make some sense of it or even trying to make an outcome come out in a preferred way.

The second thing to understand is that it is useless. It is not only useless, it is detrimental. It is pours negative energy on the subject and the one worrying.

So it is not helpful in any sense. Once you understand this, then the next step is to figure out how to get rid of it.

This touches on one's core beliefs. If you are a person who believes, and better still, knows that you are standing in the essence of God at all times, you can easily pass the buck and hand off your concerns by putting them in God's hands. Then relax and wait for answers and time to resolve your concerns.

If your beliefs do not include a Higher Power presence, but you are aware of the newly popular Law of Attraction that is eternally operating, you may wish to consider worrying in this light. As you can imagine and even look back over your own life, you will see that worrying gets you more of what you worry about. Focusing on the negative hardly ever leads to positive results.

Or, you may simply wish to use common sense and realize that worrying interferes with your ability to think clearly and solve problems effectively. If your mind is being used for one activity, it can't be used for another. So practically speaking, worrying proves to be useless here again.

When you add all this up it is easy to see the benefit of letting go of this activity. Yes, it is a habit whose time has come to be put to rest.

The most extreme case of worrying I know is my mother-in-law. She worries at the drop of a hat. The rest of the family dances around her in conversation trying not to hit a subject she can get her worry tangs into. God forbid if someone should have a cold! We deal with it, but don't worry about it.

Worrying is somewhat like the most extreme case of motherhood. It is like a mother who runs around protecting for every possible danger her child could get into. She is constantly out in front of the child's movements, trying to assess potential dangers and thwart them ahead of time. It is as tiring to be such a mother as it is to be a worrier.

If worrying did some good, everything would be worth worrying about. But it's not, so don't!

Yep, give it up, this bad habit, if you have it. Trust yourself, the light you stand in and the law that brings you your own. Then let your brightness lighten the way for others to give up their worrisome concerns.

Remember the words of the great MAD magazine cartoon character Alfred E. Neuman, “What -- me worry?” Let “Never!” be your answer.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

(To find out how you can send and receive my Happy Musings daily to brighten your day and others, go to www.happymusings.com . To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive line of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

January 29, 2009 (Life)

To Know But Not To Judge by Sally Huss

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

One of the kindest points of view to have is summed up in this saying. It is a motto worthy of living by. The first part -- to know -- is to understand or to be acquainted with a person. But then to know without judging, that's the trick. We are limited many times by our own experiences and tend to slap judgments on what we see. Our vision is limited. When we truly want to know, we must see clearly and that can only be done without judgment.

Now the next part of this wonderful aphorism – to love, but not to keep – is also very useful in realm of people and kindness. When the word “mine” is not in the equation, we can enjoy and love everyone. And everyone who is loved enjoys the benefits this kindness allows. This is particularly true with family members – children and spouses. When others are seen as “mine” a person can get very possessive. But when seen as “mine to love” there is greater freedom enjoyed by all.

The last part of the verse -- to be, but not be asleep – takes into account the idea of being aware, but not being passive. We're here to act, to help out, to make things better, to participate. We're not here to find a comfort zone and sit in it.

These three ideas provide a description of a particular way of life – one that gives a sense of purpose, a sense of freedom and one that has kindness at its core.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

January 26, 2009 (Kindness)

Add Some Kindness to Your Salad by Sally Huss

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

We are all occupied with making a better world, in one way or another. At least that's the big goal for most of us. Oftentimes we are preoccupied with things that seem to fill our days that do not seem to be making much of a head way in that direction. However, when we are doing whatever we are doing, large or small, we can include the element of kindness. It makes such a difference in our exchanges with others. And, little by little, as we dust kindness across our day, our world gets better too.

In the little village in which I live there is a special restaurant – The Girard Gourmet. It is not a restaurant in the usual sense. It is a bakery, a European-style delicatessen and coffee house. It runs along a narrow rectangular space with a few tables inside and then spills out onto the sidewalk. It is owned and operated by a Belgian couple – Francoise and Diana. They are round, jolly, creative and hard-working. The food is delicious and all “homemade”. They feed La Jolla . They feed it well. At noontime the line out the door is so extensive that it can cut off traffic to the neighboring shop. But the wait is well worth it.

While Francoise is in the kitchen overseeing the cooking and baking, Diana is out front handing the customers with the rest of her staff. But there is a quality that encompasses the restaurant and waifs out the door along with the smells of freshly baked bread, homemade soup or their famous cowboy cookies. It is the essence of the restaurant, the essence of the people who own it and operate it. It is kindness. Everyone smiles. Everyone is helpful. Everyone is creating delicious meals for the customers. Each sandwich is prepared individually and to exact specs. Each plate is served up graciously. No rushing as each helper operates efficiently and independently.

It is a treat to go into The Gourmet, not only tummy-wise but heart-wise. Such a simple thing as kindness makes this part of the world better for sure.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

January 12, 2009 (Friendship)

Be a Friend! by Sally Huss

"To have a friend is great.  To be a friend is greater."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

The older you get it seems, there is more satisfaction in giving than receiving. Friendship has these two sides to it. The coin is friendship and the sides are having a friend and being a friend. Perhaps being a friend is greater.

Several years ago I wrote a book called THE HAPPY BOOK that Ten Speed Press published. They asked me to gather a few testimonials for the book from as famous people as I could muster. I called Billie Jean King, whom I had not spoken with in years, and her first words were, “What can I do for you?” I was taken aback in a way, because, of course there was nothing I could do for her, but her question implied such generosity. “What can I do for you?” was direct and at the same time implied friendship. She was willing to do something for me, if she could. And she did so most graciously. No wonder she is so loved.

During the process of finding testimonials for that book I also contacted one of Hollywood's most famous leading men, a dear friend whose home I had stayed in many times. The answer to the same request was quite different. “No, if I do it for you I will have to do it for everyone.” It was a different point of view of friendship, I learned. I still love him.

Then I asked another old friend Merv Griffin if he would comment on my book. Merv was notorious for his generosity. His answer was, “Of course.” The publishing company was very pleased with his endorsement of the book. I sent him a little piece of art with my ‘thank you' that said, “Big-hearted people show themselves for what they are by what they do.” He was certainly one of them.

To have a friend is great. But, to be a friend is the most helpful thing anyone can be. In doing so, the one who is being the friend is also the one who is for sure enjoying the friendship.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

December 30, 2008 (Friendship)

What Real Wealth Looks Like by Sally Huss

"The accumulation of wealth looks a lot like a gathering of friends."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

Better than a friend is a group of friends, the more the merrier. To gather friends is a great art. Dennis Wood is such an artist. Although Dennis has never met a stranger, he has also never met a person who was not his friend.

Dennis came to work for our company 20 years ago. It didn't matter what he was asked to do, he figured out how to do it and do it well. But one of the best things that Dennis figured out how to do was make friends. Everyone who worked for us loved Dennis. The suppliers loved Dennis. The customers loved Dennis. UPS and Mail Clerks loved Dennis. There was not a place where Dennis went that he didn't leave a trail of friends.

There was another interesting thing about Dennis. He had a key ring filled with keys. He was in charge of a lot of things, but there were more keys than there were things to be in charge of. The keys hung on Dennis' belt and made their presence known as Dennis walked about.

There always seemed to me to be a correlation between the many keys and the many friends. I thought perhaps that Dennis had many answers, therefore many keys to creating friends. Maybe it was just one key – Dennis, who knew that being a friend first guaranteed that the other person in the equation was automatically captured. In this way they became a part of his inner key ring – the one around his heart.

Dennis has moved on to his own endeavors, but we are still attached with hardly a beat skipped, even though we may not speak with each other for months at a time.   Dennis is one of the wealthiest people I know. And he makes me wealthier myself for having him as a friend.

Smiles,

Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

December 22, 2008 (Friendship)

Count Your Friends, Count Your Assets by Sally Huss

"Your friends are your assets.  Guard them well."

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

Friends are assets whose values are unknown. But they are assets for sure. I remember reading a story of a man of great wealth who lost everything he had in the great depression of 1939. At the moment the market crashed and he realized all his money was gone he remembered he had friends – and he had an idea.

Horseracing had become legal again in America and he wanted to build the finest racing establishment in the country. He no longer had financial assets, so no banks would loan him money. Instead, he took his idea and began knocking on friends' doors. Many were not interested, but a few were, including the famous crooner Bing Crosby and the owner of one of the top racing stables, William Howard. Monies were gathered. Ranch land was purchased near the San Gabriel Mountains in California . And the magnificent Santa Anita Racetrack was created. It has been one of the primer racetracks for over 60 years and enjoyed by millions of people during that time. It came into being because a man with an idea had as his only assets, friends.

The same theme is played out at one time or another in almost everyone's life on a larger or smaller scale. When there is a need, friends are the best assets you can have. We must remember to guard them well.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

December 17, 2008 (Friendship)

Friends are Gold by Sally Huss

( Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”

When I look back over the years and think of the best times I have ever had, they are always times spent with golden friends. These are those friends who have weathered the test of time, who are there rain or shine, win or loose, rich or poor.

They are the ones who make a day.

I just heard from one of those friends today. Martha called from Laguna Beach to say how much she enjoyed my Happy Musings feature that runs in the Orange County Register. I haven't spoken to Martha in quite awhile, but as I think back over our times together she is indeed a golden friend. We are both moving along in years now, but in the past we had some very happy times together. She used her talents and connections as an interior designer to furnish an apartment for me. I gave her my favorite silk kimono when she married tennis legend Gene Mako. I found her a home to house sit, during a very hot summer in the Palm Desert area of California when she wanted to explore the possibility of moving there. And she kept me company that summer while my husband suffered the trials of cancer treatment. There was no one I would rather have been around during that period than Martha because no one I know has a cheerier disposition.

Friendships are definitely based on give and take. Golden ones are those whose exchanges are heartfelt. Martha is high on my list of golden friends. Golden friends do make golden times.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

Please make a comment if you like. The more happy people, the better!

To view my gallery of original art and peek at my extensive lines of bright and happy products, including THE HAPPY BOOK, bibs, nursery wall décor, totes and purses, and gifts with thoughtful thoughts, go to: www.sallyhuss.com .)

Email: sally@sallyhuss.com

Sign up for our Happy News at:  http://www.sallyhuss.com/signup.htm

c 2008 Sally Huss

December 03, 2008 (Friendship)

Friends are the Greatest by Sally Huss

"Of all the treasures in the world a friend is the greatest."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”)

I once asked my granddaughters, ages 7 and 9, what was the most important thing in their lives. And, without hesitation they both answered, “Friends!” As they talked further, I could see that making friends was their way of creating their own world and becoming independent. Friends were not only fun and an extension of their family, a friendship was something they valued highly. They treasured their friends.

My mother-in-law is at an age, 97, where there are no friends left, only a few family members to interact with, to check in on her, to make sure she is safe. She claims not to be lonely, but she is reluctant to let one of us leave when it is time to go. Older people value friends, as much as younger people, but their opportunities to create new ones are more limited.

My mother-in-law is lucky in that she lives in a senior apartment complex that is run by a most unusual woman. Betty is bright and bold and deals exclusively with older citizens. She does it with grace. The one thing we asked when my mother-in-law moved in was, “Are the residents friendly?” Betty assured us that if they weren't, she made sure they changed. No clicks on her watch. Betty is a friend to all who are within her world.

Between the young and the old there are masses of people reaching out to each more now than ever as times get tougher. The computer and the accompanying internet have isolated people in many ways, and yet they have found ways to find friends in that environment. Working situations are less personal, more mechanical than they used to be. That is why I think this large group of people treasures real friends above all else, just like the young people.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

December 02, 2008 (Love)

Love Changes Everything by Sally Huss

"Love changes everything!"

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”)

My husband of 32 years has an expression. It is: “Love changes everything.” He says it now and then when things look bleak or rough spots occur in a day.

And, it's true, love does change everything. It certainly changes our perception of things.

If you take whom or whatever is in front of you and simply love him, her or it, things do change. You change for sure because the love that is expressed must pass through you to get to its target. That feeling of love is nourishing to both the subject and the object.

When there is a particularly difficult customer who comes into my gallery or into my life during a day, I have my own rendition of this thought and it is this: “We are all the way we are for a lot of reasons and for all those reasons and more we are worthy of being loved.” This helps me stay on the right side of my heart, the higher region.

My husband is a grand person, big in nature and big in ideas. He is a larger than life person and sometimes it is hard to keep up. When those times occur and I feel a little overwhelmed, I remember that we all have our particular points of view. We all got here from somewhere and, of course, we are all worthy of being loved. Then, naturally I love him as he is – big, grand and mine! Yes, love does change everything.

Smiles, Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

November 24, 2008 (Life)

What's Up with Fear? by Sally Huss

"Fear lacks support from those who trust life."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!.”)

Let's get to the bottom of this statement:. Fear lacks support from those who trust life. I'm using here the word “life” for anything in your vocabulary that covers the same big, broad concept. It might be “God”, “Spirit”, “Source”, Divine Love”, “Infinite Intelligence,” etc. To me, it is just simpler for this purpose to say “life.”

Now to define “fear” – what is it? There are two kinds of fear. The first is that animal fear that we all have that protects us. If there is fire, we run from it. If someone tries to take something that is ours, we guard it, etc. But it's the psychological fear that does the damage in our lives. This fear is hard to define, because it is the lack of something -- the lack of knowledge or love or something else. And because it is something that is not, it does not exist. And this leaves us with the truth that there is really only life!

What is there not to trust, if there is only life? I'm sure if you looked back in your experiences you would find instances in which life, in the form of people or circumstances, came through in just the nick of time or solved a problem that there did not seem to be a solution to. Life's resources are way beyond our knowing, but not beyond our trusting. Life holds our hand as we move along.

To live fearlessly is to trust life. It is not to trust life to make things happen the way we want them to, but to trust life in letting things happen the way they are supposed to.

I solved fear at a certain point in my life by doing just that – trusting life. A tennis court is a microcosm of everyday life and practically everything can be explained by viewing what happens on a tennis court. When I was a young, competitive player I thought, acted and reacted like every young kid who played. I tried hard, but was fearful that I would lose, so I worried most of the match. Then the light dawned. I gave up the results. I pretended that the match was over when I walked on the court and that I had lost. Since I feared losing, I pretended I had lost already and this eliminated the fear. In doing so, I played fearlessly and in the process, played better tennis and enjoyed it immensely.

I remember reading that each time the great Samurai warriors went into battle they expected to die. In that way they had no fear of dying and performed at their best.

In a strange way that is really what we all want – to carry on our lives fearlessly. Yep, don't give fear another thought. Trust life and be done with it!

Smiles,

Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

November 21, 2008 (Life)

Have What You Want by Sally Huss

"Try to do this for this and not this for that and you will get what you want in the beginning and the end."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!” I offer it here to brighten your day. Please share it with your friends.)

Yes, to do this for this is the ideal. And, you might say, “That's impossible! I have results I want.” True too. But I have found that to do this for this, yields tremendous results and sometimes even better than those you might have planned on.

I find it easier to explain things in terms of something concrete. Take tennis. When you play a tennis match in a tournament, the goal is to win the match in order to move along in the tournament and eventually get the silver cup or the big, multi-zillion dollar check. So it seems.

But as you play the match, you have the ball to deal with and it is connected to another player who also has the same goal in mind. How do you get the ball to cooperate in your great scheme? What about giving up the scheme? What about just playing the game by focusing on the ball and letting the results take care of themselves?

Results are results and they are none of our business. We can aim toward a goal, but our attention needs to be squarely on what we are doing. In tennis, I have found that the ball is very aware when you do not give it your full attention. In other words if your mind strays to the results you want, the ball finds you fickle, opportunistic and manipulative and in turns rebels by going off in an unplanned direction. But the strange thing is the most fun on a tennis court during a match is to give your full attention to the ball. It's the fun of it! It's the creative aspect of the game – the play. Without preconceived ideas you are free to invent ways and places to hit the ball you might never have dreamed of.

Now when you think of doing this for this and not this for that, you can get down to the real this that you want. Again, in tennis it might be to win. But what is it you want out of winning? HAPPINESS! Generally people are happier when they win then when they lose. But if you are happy when you play and are not holding your breath to see if you can be happy because you win, you get what you really want in the beginning and in the end! On top of which, you actually perform better, whether it's tennis or anything else, when you are happy.

This concept can be applied to any game or any aspect in life. Have what you really want first – the feeling. No waiting required!

Smiles,

Sally

“Life is wonderful! Don't forget it.”

November 12, 2008 (Kindness)

Loving Kindness, Got some? by Sally Huss

"Loving kindness spreads like wildfire when given a little spark."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Do not underestimate the power of loving kindness.  Poor humanity, it’s not very developed as yet.  We’re not far beyond our animal nature.  That’s the one that is me, me, me – fearful and selfish.  But our next step, I believe, is to just reach a level of “loving kindness” universally.  It doesn’t seem like asking very much, but it’s what we need to do now – to operate with loving kindness in all our activities. 

I remember as a young person being in the presence of some very wise people.  And, it was their opinion that loving kindness was humanity’s next level of evolvement. It takes a long while for everyone to get on the same page, but that’s the page we need to get on.  As we can see from what goes on around the world and even in this country there is much to be done to achieve this fairly elementary level of brotherly love. 

A few years ago there was a clever ad on TV from the Almond Association.  They were trying to bring awareness to the fact that there were a lot of almonds to be had and we should help out.  A man stood up to his waist in almonds and held up a can of almonds, stating, “All we ask is one can a week.”

That’s what we need to do for each other on this subject – “All we ask is to act with loving kindness.” 

The drive and ambition to get ahead sometimes leaves kindness in its wake.  We might be benefiting ourselves in a greater way by putting kindness first.  To get ahead, might just be to take a step back into kindness.  It does spread like wildfire when given a little spark.

Smiles,

Sally

October 28, 2008 (Life)

Hold the Scalpel! by Sally Huss

"You can find something beautiful anywhere you look, if you are looking for something beautiful."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

I remember long ago in Psychology 101 my teacher explaining how a need or intention alerted the subconscious to bring to the forefront those things that fulfilled that need or intention.  The example he gave at that time was that if you were driving along a highway and became hungry, you would continually notice restaurants along the way.  Naturally, that’s an easy one and one that we have all experienced.  But, in the same way you can find something beautiful anywhere you look, if you are looking for something beautiful.

Right now, it is very important to look for something beautiful, something positive, something uplifting.  These things are everywhere.  The intention sets your sifting mechanism and the things you are looking for will be found.  There is much to see and much to distract us from the better things in life.  Sometimes those distractions are of the coarsest, loudest and most unseemly of things available in our realm.  But we can make adjustments -- change channels, change stations, change locations, change friends.  As we do, we make way for the beautiful things.

The really good things are the subtle things, the sweet things, the things that lift our spirits.  We need to look for them.  They are there in our surroundings whether those surroundings are of nature or are filled with high rises and people.

This idea of looking for something beautiful must also be applied to ourselves.  How important is it that we see our own beauty?  Very.  Not that we created it, but we can certainly appreciate it and find it by looking for it.

I knew a woman once who was brimming with self-appreciation.  She and her husband ran a popular restaurant in Palm Desert, California.  She was just beautiful!  Yet her face was covered with wrinkles.  She was a great skier, tennis player and swimmer and obviously, lover of the sun.  Not one wrinkle covered her beauty.  I always admired her because she was as she was, which was an exception to the local women who tended to try to correct every “blemish” with cosmetic surgery.  Yes, it was easy to see this woman’s beauty, even if you were not looking for it.

When I look in the mirror, I could see only the wrinkles on my face.  But then, I would miss the light in my eyes or the underlying beauty of the life that is within that is forever working towards well-being.  So, I honor that life by smiling at this hidden beauty.

You can always find something beautiful anywhere you look, if you are looking for something beautiful because it is looking for you.

Smiles,

Sally

October 20, 2008 (Life)

Mary Poppins was Right! by Sally Huss

"Fun is the best taskmaster!"

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Mary Poppins was right!  She knew that “a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down.”  To her sugar meant some kind of fun.  Fun is the best taskmaster!  Kids know it.  Teachers and parents know it.  Now, to act on this knowing when it has to do with your own activities, is a good habit to have.  It always comes down to attitude. No matter how you try to get around it, it is attitude that makes the difference in the doings that we have to do.

A youngish woman came into my gallery this morning with a definite intention.  “Give me that one about the dirty laundry!” 

I pulled the piece of gift art off of the wall.  She explained that her circumstances had changed recently and she no longer had a housekeeper, one who did her laundry.  It was now her task to care for the family’s clothes.  She said that she had never bothered about her laundry room in the past – no frills, no decorations of any kind.  But now that she was doing the laundry, she wanted to spice up this activity and wanted this particular saying on the wall of that little room.

As I wrapped the framed piece, I read it again.  “Dirty laundry reminds me that someone has worked, someone has played, someone has eaten, someone has slept, and someone has enjoyed their day just as they will tomorrow if someone like me takes care with what they have to wear.”  This particular thought gives a whole new meaning to doing laundry.  It may not be the most fun job in a home, but it is necessary and if you are elected, it still can be joyful.  

We are the ones who put the fun in our lives, whether it’s on the job or at play.     

Smiles,

Sally

October 09, 2008 (Love)

Love the Way It Is by Sally Huss

"To love the way it is, is wise.  To love the way it isn't, is just as wise."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Wise is good.  To gather wisdom is really wise.  One of the wisest people I know is Therese Furino Boni, an older French-Italian grand dame.  She taught me one of the wisest things I have ever learned – to see things as they are.  With our wishes and desires we tend to put a negative or positive spin on things.  Yet, the way it is, is always just that.  By placing no judgment on something or someone, a person sees clearly things as they are and is able to deal with all kinds of situations freely, spontaneously and in the “now”.

I took that idea of viewing things as they are to heart.  I learned to love that point of view.  I learned to love the way it is, which included loving the way it isn’t. 

I could see this concept so clearly when I taught tennis.  I myself had been raised to be a champion in the traditional way and therefore had a perfectionist’s point of view.  I could see the interference this made in everything I did – judging everything, wanting something one way when it wasn’t.  Then later, after my competitive days, as I taught tennis I could see the judgment my students made on his or her shots with the accompanying up or down emotions.  The ball was not just hit into the net.  It was hit into the net “Ugh!”  The ball was not hit out.  It was hit out “Damn!”  And, of course, with each judgment and change of emotional state a person’s attention is lost on that which is always moving and changing – the ball.

That’s the way it is with life – moving and changing.  Just when you think you’ve got your ducks in a row, life changes the line up.

So the solution, it seems to me, is to love things the way they are.  That’s the wisest point of view that I’ve come across.  If you find something better, let me know! 

Smiles,

Sally

October 02, 2008 (Kindness)

Loving Kindness, Got some? by Sally Huss

"Loving kindness spreads like wildfire when given a little spark."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Do not underestimate the power of loving kindness.  Poor humanity, it’s not very developed as yet.  We’re not far beyond our animal nature.  That’s the one that is me, me, me – fearful and selfish.  But our next step, I believe, is to just reach a level of “loving kindness” universally.  It doesn’t seem like asking very much, but it’s what we need to do now – to operate with loving kindness in all our activities. 

I remember as a young person being in the presence of some very wise people.  And, it was their opinion that loving kindness was humanity’s next level of evolvement. It takes a long while for everyone to get on the same page, but that’s the page we need to get on.  As we can see from what goes on around the world and even in this country there is much to be done to achieve this fairly elementary level of brotherly love. 

A few years ago there was a clever ad on TV from the Almond Association.  They were trying to bring awareness to the fact that there were a lot of almonds to be had and we should help out.  A man stood up to his waist in almonds and held up a can of almonds, stating, “All we ask is one can a week.”

That’s what we need to do for each other on this subject – “All we ask is to act with loving kindness.” 

The drive and ambition to get ahead sometimes leaves kindness in its wake.  We might be benefiting ourselves in a greater way by putting kindness first.  To get ahead, might just be to take a step back into kindness.  It does spread like wildfire when given a little spark.

Smiles,

Sally

September 25, 2008 (Life)

Feelin' Perfect? Why not? by Sally Huss

"Feeling perfect is the perfect way to feel."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

If you had a choice of how to feel, how would you feel?  Perfect, I’ll bet.  Why not?  If perfect were an option, wouldn’t you pick it?  No reason to pick anything else. 

Pretend you have that option.  Then perfect is the perfect way to feel.  And since you are the picker, why wouldn’t you pick it all the time?  Your heart would agree, but perhaps your head would have some hesitation, some hang-ups, something that has to done or has to happen before you allow yourself to feel perfect.  I say, knock yourself in the head and tell your rational mind to take a hike.  Tell it to come back when it has a better attitude.  Go for the gold!  Go for perfection right now.

I don’t know where I learned the importance of this or how to do this.  But, I’ve felt this way for quite a long time.  Of course, I have forgotten here and there along the way, but then life comes along and knocks some sense into me and back I go feeling perfect again. 

I remember knowing this truth long ago when I was in my twenties.  I was happy-go-lucky living with little and loving life to its fullest.  I had been invited to play in a pro-celebrity tennis tournament in Carmel, hosted by Clint Eastwood.  It was held at the famous Pebble Beach Country Club.  The grounds were lovely; the sky was blue; the play was fun.

Between matches I wandered over to a woman who was sitting by herself watching some warm up tennis.  She had a cast on her leg.  As we chatted she revealed how depressed and unhappy she was with her broken leg.  It prevented her from going and doing as she usually did.  It limited her.  She felt sad and miserable.  I told her that all she had to do to heal herself was to feel joy.  It made perfect sense to me.  What difference did it make if she were in a cast or not?  She could still feel wonderful.  She could still feel perfect.  I left her with that thought.

Today I sat with a Nigerian man at a luncheon.  It was a charity event to benefit the children of Nigeria – a special school for girls.  My table mate said that no matter how little the Nigerian people had and the suffering they endured, they  still remained happy.  Yet, he pointed out, that Americans in general had plenty, but were still not happy.  Proving once again, that happiness or the state of perfection does not depend on things, but on people.

Whether you have or have not, perfect is the perfect way to feel!   

I pick perfect all the time.

Smiles,

Sally

September 15, 2008 (Life)

Don't Forget Happiness! by Sally Huss

"Happiness does not come uninvited.  It needs to be the guest of honor."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Yep, if you put happiness first, the rest falls into place.  That does not mean “pleasure happiness”, but true happiness.  We are always doing it the other way round – trying to get everything in place in order to be happy.  Why miss all that time in the process?  “Happiness Now” is the way to go – the happiness that is not dependent on outside circumstances!

I believe happiness does need to be invited into one’s life.  There is always plenty of room for it.  If not, push some other things out of the way to make room.  In fact a welcoming committee of all aspects of your being could band together to create a great welcoming party.  Then once it shows up, make it the honored guest, so honored that it will never want to leave.

It is almost a life exercise to maintain this state.  It seems like it is a state one step above everyday life which goes up and down.  Happiness is above the clouds and winds and rains.  It is steady and consistent.  And it is reassuring to know that we have control over it.  It never turns down an invitation.  We just have to remember to open the door.  I think of all the friends to have, happiness is the best.

A moment without happiness is a moment lost.  Don’t waste a moment. 

Smiles,

Sally

September 09, 2008 (Life)

Crystal Clear Goals by Sally Huss

"Make your goals crystal clear and clearly they will become crystallized -- provided life doesn't have something better in mind."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Ummm!  This is a very good thing to know – to “make your goals crystal clear and clearly they will become crystallized.”  But the second part of this is equally important – “provided life doesn’t have something better in mind.”  It’s best to remember that life is always looking out for us.  And, although we want what we want, we may not get exactly what we want.  It might just be better.

At one point in my life I was very fixated on this “getting exactly what you want idea” as many people are today. At the same time I was preparing a thought-a-day calendar for American Greetings in which I included this thought – without the second part. After the calendar was published I showed it to a friend of mine who is a very wise woman.  She turned the pages slowly, absorbing the thoughts and commented on the art.  She smiles.  She chuckled.  Then she stopped.  “This is not right,” she said pointing to exactly this statement.  “You are dealing with truth here and you must be exact.”  Then she proceeded to put me right.  “Yes, make your goals crystal clear, but life has a say in things and it may not be for your best interest or others’ best interest that your goal be manifested as you design it.”

That’s when I created the second part of this saying, “providing life doesn’t have something better in mind.”

A dear friend of mind just went through a common exercise in job hunting.  She found an opportunity that seemed just right for her, she thought.  The job would involve many of the things she likes to do – event planning, working with all kinds of people, traveling.  She prayed for this job.  She drooled over this job.  She imagined her life wrapped around it.  She wanted it more than she had wanted anything.  But, alas, someone else was chosen because that person had more job experience in the needed areas.  What we talked about after she recovered from her disappointment was that she needed to get some experience in those areas herself by not starting at the top but working her way up. 

Getting a particular job or a particular man or anything else involves many elements, wants and goals all around.  What I have found is that what eventually happens, happens for the best.  With a little time, looking back at a previous disappointment may look like the greatest break we could have had.  There we are, back again needing to trust life.

Smiles,

Sally

September 08, 2008 (Friendship)

Video Musing "Sometimes Talking To A Friend..." by Sally Huss

Sally Huss comments on her Happy Musing "Sometimes talking to a friend means more than what is said."

September 03, 2008 (Life)

Fall in Love with Life by Sally Huss

"Fall in love with life.  Life is already in love with you."

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

If one would live by this motto, one would live happily ever after.  That’s all that one would have to do. 

To do it, one has to realize the truth of this statement – “life is in love with you.”  It is true now and always.  But how to know this, the knowing that comes from experiencing?  I suppose, by trying it out, by just imagining, pretending, that “life is in love with you.”  It doesn’t mean that life won’t bump you around a little here and there.  After all, as much as we love our children, they need to be set straight now and then too.  Still it takes nothing away from the fact that we, like they, are loved.

Now once this part of the equation is conceded (the “life is in love with you” part) the next step is to make sure that “you fall in love with life.”  Fall in love with life even when you are getting bumped around and perhaps even because of it.  It is only out of love that we are corrected. 

That’s the whole enchilada – the giving and receiving of this life’s love. 

As I contemplate this thought there is only one thing that could pose a hang-up to realizing this in its totality.  And that is if one feels unworthy in some way and refuses to accept the “life is in love with you” part.  Now to get around this stumbling block, one must also realize that one is one with life and therefore one is always and forever worthy, no matter how many dumb things one might have done.  Each of us needs to get over it as quickly as possible – this sense of unworthiness when we’ve done something really stupid.  In a snap of the fingers you can be free to accept that “life is in love with you” and then “fall in love with life” all over again. 

Carry on!     

Smiles,

Sally

August 28, 2008 (Family)

Dogs! Don't You Love ‘Em? by Sally Huss

"Dogs have their place in a home, usually at the head of the family." 

(Happy Musings is a newspaper feature syndicated by King Features that I create each day to remind us all that “Life is wonderful!”  I offer it here to brighten your day.  Please share it with your friends.)

Don’t you just love dogs?  They have as many personalities as people, but they are not people.  Yet those dog lovers among us who hold their dogs in such high regard are not quite so sure.  This is what I have noticed:  those people who love their dogs beyond all else, make them the center of attention in most situations and in some cases – head of the household.  

There are a million types of homes and living situations and a million types of dogs to go with them.  Some dogs have the benefit of being able to run freely on a farm or ranch.  Some may be lucky enough to have a backyard to romp in.  Still others are restricted to life inside a home or an apartment.  And none of this seems to have anything to do with the size of the dog.  Once a person falls in love with a dog, that person makes room for that dog within his or her particular living space.

To me a dog is still a dog.  I welcome them in my gallery.  I play with them, flirt with them, give them a pat on the head and a bowl of water.  I see them and interact with them as if they were young children – playful, cuddly, but destined never to grow up.  I enjoy many dogs in my life – my son’s dogs, the dogs on my walk to work, the dogs that stop by the gallery and say hello, but I do not own one and one does not own me. 

I have owned dogs in the past and that is probably why I wrote this verse.  We had a dachshund who was nothing more than a Hitler.  He ruled our every move.  We had to trick him into being captured in order to isolate him when we wanted to go out for dinner.  Then there was the sweetest dog we ever had – Sara.  Picked up by the pound people, she was found roaming the streets with her pup.  The pup was adopted first.  Then we got Sara.  She lay at my feet for hours while I painted.  I found the most incredible home for her to go to when I knew I was no longer going to have space for her.  We said our goodbyes and she never looked back.  I have never really been an “owner” of a dog, more like a holding tank until the proper owner came forward.  I have loved my dogs and I can see why they can easily be head of a family.

Smiles,

Sally

August 27, 2008 (Life)

Video Musing "To Win Means Something, But..." by Sally Huss

Sally Huss comments on her Happy Musing " To win mean something, but..."