Seeking Happy Thoughts

photo by isabel bloedwater

Engaged By Cheer
Leo Daily Horoscope

It may feel as if the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders today, causing you to devote your mental and physical energy primarily to serious and deep matters. Should you find yourself presented with an opportunity to spend time with people as somber as yourself, you will likely be quite pleased by the prospect. Yet the concerns that have likely inspired this solemn mood may not be as dire or as permanent as you imagine them to be. If you allow yourself to have even a touch of lighthearted fun today, you may discover that life looks much brighter because your overall outlook has improved.

A bit of lighthearted conversation can work wonders to dispel a serious mood as the fun we share with others through dialogue permits us to invite them to adopt a mind-set as cheerful and playful as our own. When we are fully engaged by these jolly musings and emotions, it is difficult to devote much time at all to mulling over deep or weighty topics with any real conviction. Instead, our thoughts turn to more pleasant matters and we feel compelled to spread our upbeat mind-set among our family, friends, and colleagues. As we show the people we care about and respect how much there is to be happy about, any lingering seriousness we might have felt will disappear. Your heavy mood will turn to one of delight today when you choose to immerse yourself in happy subjects that enthrall you and inspire your creativity.


It's been 4 months today since the passing of my mother and I am indeed in a somber mood. There are moments when the grief is as fresh as the day we lost her, the pain literally bringing me to my knees.

We have a fun evening planned with family, am hoping I can do as my horoscope suggests and put aside the sadness for a while.

I Know You're Strong

Pablo Picasso: Crazy Woman With Cats, originally uploaded by unbearable lightness.

About 5 years ago I was going through some very rough times; my 16 year marriage was ending, my eldest daughter was heading off to college, the big 4-0 was right around the corner..my life was in turmoil and I didn't know what my future held. The picket fence was falling down all around me, I was totally overwhelmed. So, when the kids went off to school each morning I would crawl back into bed and take comfort in the darkness. I'd lie there, alternating between sleeping and crying, for hours. Friends would call and invite me to lunch, I'd beg off. All I wanted to do was lie there in the cool white sheets and escape. I felt completely alone, shut everyone out..well, almost everyone. There were two souls who would not be ignored, refused to abandon me no matter how much I wanted that solitude. These two black four-footed friends climbed into bed with me every morning and stayed there. They cuddled and purred, watched over me and kept me company during some of the darkest moments of my life. I am eternally grateful to those little angels for the part they had in saving me, for cheering me up when everything seemed hopeless, for bringing the pieces of ribbon and little mouse toys into bed, making me laugh when all I wanted to do was cry.

Of course, you know that I got through that terrible time, and am a stronger, wiser woman as a result. My life is so much better now, full of passion and love. I've never forgotten the friends who helped me through those days, though, both two-legged and four. So when Kali introduced me to this song a couple years ago, I embraced it as my very own theme song for that time of my life.



I'm not sure if there really is a cat named Virtue or if the a member of the Weakerthans had an experience such as mine, but the lyrics ring so true, I just have to share them here.

So, thank you again, Salem and Jezebel..thank you for believing that I was strong, and for being there with me until I figured it out myself.