Thursday, March 13, 2008

What makes me happy

Kiran tagged me to write down things that make me happy. It's funny that a cheery tag like this can actually send me into melancholic mood...

Because I wonder about what makes me happy and I wonder if the answers are taking a while to come to my mind, if I am not happy now...or is it just that I am sleepy and my brain has turned off?!

I really enjoyed reading Kiran's list. I actually wished I could have written a list like that. To know so clearly that some of those things would make me happy...that would do me good.

Shoes, perfume, bags, a gift from husband (not that it happens often - he assumes now that I don't like what he gives me anyway!), chocolates, mom's cooking...none of those would feature in my list. I used to delight in "Kit Kat" chocolates when I was a kid - it really used to make me happy. My sister used to bring it from the US when she visited and somehow we used to get a stock every few months. Now it means nothing to me. Kind of sad when those simple things don't make you as happy anymore! Well, I love mom's cooking - but I don't know if that's what would make me "happy". On second thoughts, a "thoughtful" gift from husband may make me happy - just because he thought about it and got it! See, I am taking this tag so seriously.

I can think of some moments that made me truly happy. But when it fades into memory, it all seems so fleeting and hard to attain again - it makes me sad again. So I don't even think about it. I tend to thrive on just silly jokes and laugh so hard over nothing and somehow those moments are when I would say I am happy. But yes for the purpose of this tag - there are a few things that do make me happy...

- when I catch up with an old friend and I feel like I spoke to him/her only yesterday...that warm feeling makes me feel happy.

- the other day I was about to go downstairs to make my decaff tea and come back up to the office room (where I use the laptop) after saying "good night" to B. He walked out of our room to get something and somehow we end up talking in hushed tones (so as to not awaken the kids) right there by the stair case and laughed so hard over some silly joke he made...those unexpected moments of laughter just make me really happy. I just thrive on such moments.

- when I receive a nice long hand written letter or even a meaningful, warm email from a friend - who is truly making conversation with me...it really makes me happy.

- There are a few friends with whom I talk and somehow we end up spinning silly jokes - taking off from the other person's last line - just keep spinning on and on and laughing over nothing - it happens every now and then when we talk - I love those kind of conversations. We just laugh and laugh and just enjoy ourselves so much.

- I sometimes randomly make small sketches on pieces of paper (looking at some other sketch and copying it) - occasionally I paint it in color - when they turn out well, it makes me happy.

- When I was pregnant with KB, I could not find maternity clothes that fell nicely on me - especially the sun dresses. So I got myself a sewing machine and bought a couple of patterns and sewed a few sun dresses for myself. I felt really happy when I wore them - I never had the patience to sew nor did I think I could sew at all - that unexpected piece of my own creation made me happy. (OK, so sewing a good outfit makes me happy!).

- When I sing a song and hit the high note perfectly, and I hear the reverberation I feel truly truly happy. I wish I could sing more often and well. I would be much happier as a person over all I think!

- my children make me really really really happy. When the four of us sit together as a family and play with them, I wish I could live in that moment for ever. I feel truly happy and blessed. And even as I think that I have this fear that something may take that away from me.

- If my dad was also alive and if my parents still were living in our house in Chennai and I could go back to visit them there...spend time at home...it would make me so so so happy! Sorry Poppin - I know you are shaking your head saying "What's this obsession about a home in India?!". But the image of it fills me with happiness and that it will never be - that my children can never go back to a home there - makes me sad.
Now I am moving a happy tag to a sad tag - so I better stop here. It's pretty late anyway and B wants to leave early for work tomorrow - so I better wind up now. Sorry Kiran - this is just a random list of things that make me happy. Thanks anyway for tagging me - helps me realize that there are definitely some things that make me happy! :)

20 comments:

Cantaloupes.Amma (CA) said...

I can so relate to the list ... the lazing around in your home in your home town ... nothing to beat the happiness that comes with it! Its been almost 2 yrs since I visited home (Mysore) though my parents have visited us here... and I already feel like I have missed something in life for the past 2 yrs.

K 3 said...

I agree laughing aloud at silly jokes makes me really happy too. I think when I am real old joining the laughter club would be the best thing! Maybe I should do it now ... But, some people just don't get it. My honey for one - he says I laugh too loud, too much - Blah! Ok now I am turning my comment into a squabble so let me stop!

BTW, it was a nice read. Any chance we can see your sketches? ;)

noon said...

CA - really, isn't it? That feeling is the best. Even if it were a small little one bed house in some remote area, it would be fine, as long as parents are there in that house, it is heaven...it is your home. You grew up in Mysore - how nice!

noon said...

K3 - Yeah - somehow those couple of minutes - laughing over silly things - I feel like I am really living in that moment and not thinking of anything else...
B says to me that when I get tense about something I laugh too much that night...it's partly true - if I am tense before an exam, I will find everything so funny the night before - I mean not so obviously or strictly each time - but that nervous laughter does happen! :)
Feel free to squabble here - makes for funny reading anyway! :))
Thanks...about sketches - I didn't mean to act like I am some kind of artist - I should have called it doodle rather than sketch! :) Will try to post a couple of pics of it sometime...nothing great - just chumma more like children's sketches!

Usha said...

Many people on my blog route have done this tag recently and while each is different I see something common - we all find happiness more in people and less in things and it is special, unplanned moments that give the most happiness.

noon said...

Hi Usha - true - no matter how much the world around us changes materially - there is still joy in being with people and in the warmth and caring and laughter you share with people...

mnamma said...

With you on - our children making us happy. And I think music not only makes us happy but it is a great way to relieve stress. It is just amazing how it makes us melt down. And the jokes shared in hushed tones is so cute :)

noon said...

Hey MNamma - good to see you here after a long time. HOpe you continue blogging even after you move...
And you sing right? I am sure if you are trained in vocals it must be double the pleasure since you will have a better sense of control over your voice...

Aryan-Arjun said...

Hi..singing a song and basking the vibrating tone..makes me also happy...Same pinch..
AM

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Hey no, I am not shaking my head at all. I totally understand the nostalgic longing one feels for their parent's home, one in which they grew up. Heck I live in India and yet I feel different and more relaxed when I stay with my mom who lives 15 mins away (in a house that I did NOT grow up in).

I just meant to say that sometimes it is just that - old memories. We mustn't forget to live in the present and enjoy the home we created.

Nice list - you sewed your own dresses during pregnancy - will you never stop surprising me with tidbits about yourself?

Swati said...

You stitched your own dress ..:O

Nice list ..nothing can beat with the whole family together.

noon said...

Aryan - yes, singing most definitely makes me happy!

Poppins - I do enjoy the home we have now because really speaking that is the only home I have, the only feeling of home I have had since I left my parent's home many years back! But I still can't help wish I had a home to go to myself!:)
Sewing clothes - it was a surprise for me as well! It was a phase then - I made a little frock for my friend's daughter - that was the last of it - have not even disted my machine since then. Hopefully a few laters later I will resume again...esp to make clothes for KG. BTW - I didn't do anything too creative - just followed a pattern and cut accordingly, that's all...

Swati - nice to see you here after a while..I like your little "woh" icon! :) Yeah family times are the best...knock on wood!

Chitra said...

Hey Noon, nice post and a lovely tag. Getting connected with old friends, cracking silly jokes, thoughtful gifts from the other half, singing, mums food...wow! indeed all these make us soo happy. Very well expressed :)njoyed reading (needless to say!).

Unknown said...

Awww noon, that was such a sweet list, and yes, I can totally understand that feeling of wanting a home, laughing at silly things, doodling and coming up something that can be framed (guilty of that myself), no it is not a sad list, it is a list that shows you have delved deep into yourself to think it up, and its wonderful. And so honest.

Anonymous said...

Laughing aloud at silly jokes - me too, me too. My husband finds that silly :) Can't agree more on music.

BTW, regarding the blender question on the avacado parathas. I misread your post as grinding dry atta and avacado together. Kneading the atta is the most painful part for me, as I don't put oil or salt. Anyways, I got super excited thinking you found a way to grind the dry flour without having to knead it :) :)

noon said...

Karmic - I wasn't going to do a new post until you read the tag - since I wrote it for you! ;) Hence the arm twisting into making you read it!
Well, if you had asked me to do a sad tag I would have quite easily slid into it from here! :)

Chitra - thanks! Why don't you do the tag as well...

DDmom - Yeah...laughing at silly jokes is the only escape moment from all the worries of every day life!
Oh I know what you mean - I hate kneading too...but you know the fat in the avocado makes it sooo easy to knead. And because it is paratha and not rotis - you can make it somewhat thick - so it was on the whole quite easy. I blended the avocado to paste (along with spices and some oil was there from the 1/2 teaspn of MTR thokku) and added it to the flour...kneading was so much easier...say not even 5 min. BTW you can use the Ultra grinder to knead as well - apparently it does a super job you have to purchase the blade for that...

molarbear's posts said...

I make a distinction between what makes me happy (things like good health, freedom from worries, singing and so on) and what gives me pleasure (eating chocolate/marzipan, seeing a beautiful picture, hearing music, and so on.)

But I guess that's nitpicking!

What makes me happy is...that *I* am a basically happy person and have found that it is so simple to be happy!

Very nice post, Noon.

Choxbox said...

i think eating mangoes would certainly make me happy!

Rohini C Sekhar said...

Hi Noon...

I chanced upon your blog and have found it very interesting reading...all your posts are so simple and well written.

I am a Tamil girl myself, married to a Bengali and cut off from my family....and expecting a baby, and your posts make me feel so nice...I don't know how or whether even we can relate in any way, but I felt good reading them...

I had once started a blog, and then stopped suddenly...I dont know why....but reading yours made me wasnt to start again...but i dont know what to start with....though i did one teeny-weeny post after reading yours...

I hope you dont mind if I read your posts.....not only do i get to read some nice stuff, i could also make do with some of your real life experiences with your kids that might help me out in a few months or years from now...

lolz...take care...

noon said...

MB - thanks - sorry - late to respond to comments. Yes, you are one of the happiest people I know!

Choxbox - sure! :)

Rohini - Thanks for your kinds words. It must be very hard to be cut off from family while being pregnant. I wish you a safe and happy pregnancy and delivery. Am very happy to know that you felt happy while reading my posts - you really did make my day by saying that - sorry for the late response.