106. 8 Things That Make Me Happy.

So I’m having a good week. Nothing dramatic, I just love this time of year! I’ve written before about how I kind of hate November, which I find rather funny when I think about how much I love October. To me, this is the most Canadian time of year… which doesn’t make a lot of sense, I know, but that’s the way it is. I moved to Canada as a little girl in the summer, and summer in Toronto is not that different (to a 5 year old’s eyes) than summer in Bermuda, so it wasn’t until Autumn started settling in that I began to feel the difference. This is the time of year when I am most grateful that I am not God, because I can tell you that I never would have thought of anything so crazy as having leaves change colour and turn the hills and parks into an impressionist painter’s idea of fire. It’s just amazing.

Anyway, I’ve just been in a good mood and noticing things that make me happy, so I thought I would list them.

1. Running hugs from children.

You know what this is, right? When a child runs at you with their arms open wide and then crashes into your legs, almost knocking you over, as they wrap their arms around you as tight as they can. Have I mentioned how much I’m enjoying supply teaching at a local preschool? I’ve been in there a lot and the kids love me and I love them, and I get running hugs from them on a regular basis. I don’t know that there is anything better for the ego than that.

2. Pomegranates.

I love pomegranates. And in Canada they are only around for a few months a year. I am usually very aware of when pomegranate season starts, but having recently returned from Korea, where the pomegranate season was kind of opposite to ours (and, incidentally, a lot longer!) I wasn’t paying attention. So today when I was grocery shopping and stumbled across a barrel of pomegranates in the produce section, I was barely able to contain the happy squeal that bubbled up in my throat. They are bloody expensive, but oooh… so yummy!

3. The Amazing Race.

Okay, so this one’s a little shallow… but it is one of my favourite shows. And if they ever wise up and allow Canadians on that show I will line up so fast to audition… I’ve already got a few potential partners lined up. Now, the Amazing Race isn’t on TV yet, but I just found out today that the new season is starting in November (which is good, because as I mentioned, I hate November). But here’s the thing, not only is one of my favourite shows returning to TV (again, I say ‘yay!’), but they are featuring for the first time a lesbian couple. And not just any lesbian couple, but Christian lesbians! Ministers, in fact! It’s pretty cool. (Hat tip to my beloved AfterEllen.com) You can watch the promo, if you like.

4. Leaves.

Okay, so I mentioned this in my little introductory paragraph, but I love Autumn leaves. Not just the colours, though – although they are amazing. I also love the crunch of walking through leaves on the sidewalk. That sound has an almost magical effect of me. Oh, it isn’t foolproof, but it almost is. When I hear my feet crunching through leaves I usually can’t help but smile. Oh and the smell! It’s kind of gross when you analyze it, because it is the smell of rotting leaves, but it’s such a nice, Autumn, Canadian (I know that it’s not just Canada that has this, but in my head it’s very Canadian) smell. When I first moved here, it was still legal to burn piles of leaves. I’ve since learned that that is bad for the environment so I disapprove of burning leaves on principle… but I miss that smell too. Sometimes people still burn them in the country, and so you can still catch the occasional whiff of that sweet aroma sometimes.

Oh, I can’t believe I almost forgot this… piles of leaves! We swept the leaves in the yard at preschool into piles the other day and without any direction all the kids immediately knew what to do… to jump in them, bury themselves, and toss them in the air! I suppose that doesn’t seem all that remarkable, but a lot of the kids at the preschool where I’ve been working are recent immigrants to Canada, and are from countries where there is no Autumn – a lot of middle eastern and African kids. I can’t remember if I was that intuitive with the leaves… I do remember that the snow freaked me out, but that’s a different story.

5. Good conversation.

Another obvious one. I just went out for coffee with a good friend last night and really enjoyed our conversation. We talked about various things like the definition of ‘evangelical’ versus ‘fundamentalist’ and… oh man, I can’t really remember all of what we talked about, but I do remember leaving thinking “There’s another thing that makes me happy… good conversation!”

6. The old French Canadian ladies in my building.

Yes, even the ones who never seem to realize that I don’t speak French. Oooh, and I had this exchange with one of these ladies yesterday in the elevator while wearing an “I love nerds” T-shirt.

Lady: “So… are you a nerd?”
Me: “Yes, I guess so…”
Lady: after pause, “… an actual nerd?”
Me: “Uh… well, yeah, I consider myself a nerd?”
Lady: “You are a real nerd?”
Me: (now wondering if perhaps ‘nerd’ means something different in French) “Well… yes. I am a nerd.”
Lady: “Can I have your card?”
Me: “What?”
Lady: “Do you have a card?”
Me: “Uh… no…”
Lady: “Okay. Do you work for the nerds?”
Me: “Ooooh… you mean the nerds who fix computers?”
Lady: “Yes.”
Me: “No, I am a different kind of nerd.”

I didn’t have time to explain that I actually would define those who work on computers as ‘geeks’ because the elevator had reached my floor. Oh well. Maybe next time we meet I can explain. Speaking of ‘nerds’…

7. Nerd humour

Nerd humour also makes me happy… so here’s an example of something that cracks me up!

“At least my costume has pants!” Hee!

8. Singing.

I went on a women’s retreat this past weekend, and the first night (or was it the first morning?) we sang a few songs, including the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy”. And it was awesome… all these women singing various harmonies and descants. So beautiful. And aside from the wonder of worshiping in song in a community of Christians, I just love singing in community… and hearing singing. And I do wonder if non-Christians have opportunities to sing like that. I don’t think they do, and I think that’s sad.

Actually speaking of the retreat, I have some thoughts stemming from the retreat that relate to this blog, but they need to be processed more before I post about them. But I figure that if I mention that fact that I will be more likely to actually write the post instead of having it just mill about in my head.

Anyway, I’ll end this here. It’s been a happy week. I’m enjoying it… November’s closing in fast.