An order of happy with a side of giddiness? Yes please!

"On the whole, the happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so." William R. Inge

This quote was the Facebook status of a friend of mine earlier today, and it got me to thinking. The last few months have been a grand personal journey for me, and through it all I realized that somehow I had grown cynical. Looking back I can't say that I've always been the most positive person, but I remember being a child, and the only worry I had was what friend to play with that day. I remember finding joy in the simplest of things, and that is a quality that I had lost. In trying to regain, if only partially, that ability to be genuinely happy, I've learned to do things because I think they would be fun, and not let myself my hindered by how I thought others might view me. Things like, dressing up in funny clothes or jewelry while I'm working in the costume shop, or skipping down the road, should I feel so inclined.

I feel that at this point I should let you know that I have bouts of depression from time to time, and recently went through one of my lowest points. That had a major impact on how I view the world and try to live my life. But as they say, without the dark, how can you know what light is? I feel that it is because of the low points in my life that I am able to enjoy the little things: A breeze through the leaves of a tree, or watching a flock of sparrows as they bob along the ground searching for seeds. Things that I enjoy, mostly because of their subtlety, in that I'm forced to take a step back and relax before I can even notice them.

I'd like to leave you with a list of things that make me happy, in hopes that you will take the time to realize that which makes you happy.

Children's laughter, sunsets, sunrises, learning new things, learning to be ok with the fact that I can't do something well, music, dancing, laughing at myself, making others happy, teaching, having a conversation, being surrounded by friends even if we're just hanging out, going for walks, being in nature, seeing students of mine have breakthroughs in their understanding of a concept, rainbows, rain, knowing that I have a supportive family, making new friends, helping others, being a shoulder to cry on or an ear to talk to, puzzles, solving those puzzles...

Really the list could go on ad nauseum, so I think I'll stop there, and leave you with this final question:
What makes you happy?