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365 Reasons to Smile – Day 88
In November 1995, I attended a conference in Phoenix, Arizona that also provided the opportunity for a mini-vacation. A friend and I arrived several days early so we could relax and do some sightseeing.
At the top of our list was a day trip to the Grand Canyon, but the day we arrived in Arizona all the national headlines warned that the federal government was going to shut down.
It did. And every national park was closed except for the Grand Canyon. Apparently, the Arizona governor wanted to keep tourism alive and battled to let the state take over park operations. My friend and I decided we shouldn’t wait to see what happened. We decided to make the trek as soon as possible and left early in the morning to make the unhurried journey north.
It was a very unhurried journey.
We wandered through Jerome and wondered at the beauty of Sedona.
We arrived at the Grand Canyon in late afternoon. There was no one at the entrance, so we didn’t have to pay a fee. Instead, 
we quickly found parking and made our way to the edge of the canyon. Two men from France joined us as we snapped photos, including our feet hanging over the edge. And then we watched the sunset with splashes of pink and gold over the red rock.
That is probably the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.
The next day, we woke to news that Grand Canyon National Park had officially been closed.
Sometimes, timing is everything.
And that always makes me smile.
Day 88: The Grand Canyon.
Day 87: Unanswered Prayers Day 86: Apples Fresh from the Orchard Day 85: Being Human Day 84: Captain Underpants Day 83: The Diary of Anne Frank Day 82: In Cold Blood Day 81: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Day 80: The Outsiders Day 79: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Day 78: The First Amendment Day 77: People Who Touch Our Lives Day 76: The Rewards of Parenting Day 75: Improvements Day 74: Family Traditions Day 73: Learning From Our Mistakes Day 72: Live Music Day 71: Sleeping In Day 70: Grover Day 69: A Good Hair Day Day 68: A Sense of Community Day 67: Kindness Day 66: Living in a Place You Love Day 65: Gifts from the Heart Day 64: The Arrival of Fall Day 63: To Kill a Mockingbird Day 62: Green Lights Day 61: My Canine Friends Day 60: Differences Day 59: A New Box of Crayons Day 58: Bookworms Day 57: Being Oblivious Day 56: Three-day Weekends Day 55: A Cat Purring Day 54: Being a Unique Individual Day 53: Children’s Artwork Day 52: Lefties Day 51: The Neighborhood Deer Day 50: Campfires Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You” Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap Day 31: Perspective Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads Day 25: When Harry Met Sally Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 76
My daughter’s favorite quote from one of her favorite books
“The Fault in Our Stars.”
I can’t say I was ever a fan of high school life.
I didn’t have a bad time during my own high school years. In fact, I have great memories from that time.
I just never really got “it.”
I didn’t get why so many of my peers’ conversations revolved around clothes, makeup, appearance and other people’s relationships.
I didn’t get why so many didn’t like learning – or at least pretended they didn’t.
And most of all, I didn’t get why most people defined themselves by the groups with which they associated.
I always feared that when my own children were teenagers, I would have to re-live some of those issues.
But, so far, my children have surprised me.
Neither seems particularly worried about what other people are doing nor about whom they are doing it with. Neither do they seem concerned about what other people think of them.
And I don’t think they are pulling one over on me.
They are both content to pursue their own interests with people who they genuinely like, with no concern about where anyone falls on the social ladder.
Like most parents, I am constantly second guessing myself, and I know there will be plenty of difficult moments ahead.
But for the moment, I am simply content to enjoy kids who think for themselves and are comfortable in their own skin.
That always makes me smile.
Day 76: The Rewards of Parenting
Day 75: Improvements Day 74: Family Traditions Day 73: Learning From Our Mistakes Day 72: Live Music Day 71: Sleeping In Day 70: Grover Day 69: A Good Hair Day Day 68: A Sense of Community Day 67: Kindness Day 66: Living in a Place You Love Day 65: Gifts from the Heart Day 64: The Arrival of Fall Day 63: To Kill a Mockingbird Day 62: Green Lights Day 61: My Canine Friends Day 60: Differences Day 59: A New Box of Crayons Day 58: Bookworms Day 57: Being Oblivious Day 56: Three-day Weekends Day 55: A Cat Purring Day 54: Being a Unique Individual Day 53: Children’s Artwork Day 52: Lefties Day 51: The Neighborhood Deer Day 50: Campfires Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You” Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap Day 31: Perspective Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads Day 25: When Harry Met Sally Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 75
A couple Saturdays ago, my family was actually in the same vehicle. Together. At the same time.
That doesn’t happen very often anymore, because our different schedules and activities taking us in different direction.
But on Saturday, we actually had time together in my Jeep.
As we buckled up and took off, the radio came on.
And no, for those who know, me the radio was not tuned to NPR, where my husband works.
Instead, it was tuned to a rock station out of Washington D.C.
Initially, no one complained, but then a song that my son doesn’t like came on.
“I wish,” he said, “there was a station that only played songs I like.”
“There’s Pandora,” I offered.
“That still plays songs I don’t like.” he responded.
I didn’t say anything else but simply smiled to myself thinking of how many more choices my children have than I did.
They have cable instead of a television that might pick up the major networks. They have computers and the internet and can listen to radio stations from all over the world instead of a transistor radio that primarily picks up AM radio stations. And they have phones that provide instant access to all their friends instead of on house phone with no answering machine.
My son’s complaint was ridiculous, but it was also a reminder of how dissatisfaction with the status quo continues to motivate people to be innovative and inventive.
And that always makes me smile.
Day 75: Improvements Day 74: Family Traditions
Day 73: Learning From Our Mistakes Day 72: Live Music Day 71: Sleeping In Day 70: Grover Day 69: A Good Hair Day Day 68: A Sense of Community Day 67: Kindness Day 66: Living in a Place You Love Day 65: Gifts from the Heart Day 64: The Arrival of Fall Day 63: To Kill a Mockingbird Day 62: Green Lights Day 61: My Canine Friends Day 60: Differences Day 59: A New Box of Crayons Day 58: Bookworms Day 57: Being Oblivious Day 56: Three-day Weekends Day 55: A Cat Purring Day 54: Being a Unique Individual Day 53: Children’s Artwork Day 52: Lefties Day 51: The Neighborhood Deer Day 50: Campfires Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You” Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap Day 31: Perspective Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads Day 25: When Harry Met Sally Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 73
I love food, and my life is sometimes built around my attempts to restrain from temptation or my inability to do so and the subsequent guilt.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved to eat. I’m just lucky I had a mom who either didn’t love food as much as I do or who had much more restraint.
Either way, my childhood was one of nutritious meals, fresh fruits and vegetables and almost no junk food.
Except when I went to play with friends.
They had junk food at their houses, and I thought they were the luckiest kids in the world.
I’ll never know if their moms felt sorry for my lack of access to junk food or if they felt guilty for providing it for me. In all honesty, I’m pretty sure it was a combination of both.
On particularly memorable day, I was playing with Kathy Loomis. For some reason, my brother was there too, and Kathy’s mother just kept feeding us. And we just kept eating.
She must have felt guilty, because right after she gave us glazed doughnuts, she took out a new contraption. She told us it was a recorder and that if we talked into it, it would record exactly what we said.
She demonstrated this by clicking a button, holding a microphone to our mouths and asking my brother and me what we’d eaten that day.
In the obedient nature of six-year-old and four-year-old children, we answered her questions with enthusiasm. We listed all of the “forbidden foods” we’d eaten. She then responded, on tape, “That was a lot of food.”
When she said that, I put aside the half-eaten doughnut.
A short time later, my mom came to take us home, and Mrs. Loomis played the recording. In our own voices, we listened to ourselves recite all of the forbidden food that we had eaten that day.
Even at age four, I knew I’d been had.
Mrs. Loomis must have been feeling guilty, and she had tricked Sean and me into confessing our sins.
After Mrs. Loomis played the recording for my mother, she retrieved my half-eaten doughnut and handed it to me.
Needless to say, I had lost my appetite.
To this day, I’m not a big fan of doughnuts.
But the lesson I learned that day always makes me smile. I would never again be so willing to do something I would later regret admitting.
Day 73: Learning From Our Mistakes Day 72: Live Music
Day 71: Sleeping In Day 70: Grover Day 69: A Good Hair Day Day 68: A Sense of Community Day 67: Kindness Day 66: Living in a Place You Love Day 65: Gifts from the Heart Day 64: The Arrival of Fall Day 63: To Kill a Mockingbird Day 62: Green Lights Day 61: My Canine Friends Day 60: Differences Day 59: A New Box of Crayons Day 58: Bookworms Day 57: Being Oblivious Day 56: Three-day Weekends Day 55: A Cat Purring Day 54: Being a Unique Individual Day 53: Children’s Artwork Day 52: Lefties Day 51: The Neighborhood Deer Day 50: Campfires Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You” Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap Day 31: Perspective Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads Day 25: When Harry Met Sally Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 72
I don’t believe the best days of my life are behind me, but I do recognize that how I spend my time and who I spend it with has changed over the years.
I have very fond memories of the years after college before I became “a real adult,” but that doesn’t mean that my life now is less fun now. It’s just different, and the lasting imprint of the early 1990’s will stay with me forever.
That was a time of road trips, and parties and weekends with absolutely no responsibilities.
It was also a time of live music.
On a Sunday in April in 1991, I remember standing in line with friends at the Capitol Plaza Theater in Charleston, West Virginia. REM was performing on West Virginia Mountain Stage, and the show was sold out.
As we waited, Robyn Hitchcock strolled among us playing his guitar and singing.
And the show itself was amazing.
The memories of it always makes me smile.
Day 72: Live Music
Day 71: Sleeping In Day 70: Grover Day 69: A Good Hair Day Day 68: A Sense of Community Day 67: Kindness Day 66: Living in a Place You Love Day 65: Gifts from the Heart Day 64: The Arrival of Fall Day 63: To Kill a Mockingbird Day 62: Green Lights Day 61: My Canine Friends Day 60: Differences Day 59: A New Box of Crayons Day 58: Bookworms Day 57: Being Oblivious Day 56: Three-day Weekends Day 55: A Cat Purring Day 54: Being a Unique Individual Day 53: Children’s Artwork Day 52: Lefties Day 51: The Neighborhood Deer Day 50: Campfires Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You” Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap Day 31: Perspective Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads Day 25: When Harry Met Sally Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 65
I never had much opportunity to visit or get to know my extended family until I was a teenager. Because of
that, I appreciated every moment I spent with them.
I particularly loved visiting my Great Aunt Sylvia’s house in Beaverton, Michigan. I think that was primarily because it was so different from my own house and from that of my grandmother, her sister.
In other words, her house wasn’t in perfect order, and she had stuff. A lot of stuff.
I always wondered if that was a result of her dismissal of my grandmother’s need to abide by society’s expectations or if it was from having been married to my Uncle Joe, a World War I veteran and former mayor of the small town where she lived.
Although he passed away before I ever visited his house, Uncle Joe’s presence was everywhere.
His collector’s whisky decanters lined the entire parameter of the living room, and photos of his time as a grand master in the Masons were everywhere.
While I found those fascinating, what I absolutely loved about Aunt Sylvia’s house was the music. She had an organ that took center stage and lots and lots of sheet music.
Whenever I visited, I always asked if I could play the organ, and she always waved her hand in dismissal indicating that I didn’t even need to ask. And when I found music I liked, she simply told me to take it with me.
I still have that music, and recently my daughter and I sat at the piano playing and singing to songs in a magazine she gave me.
My daughter will never understand what that moment meant to me, but I’m sure Aunt Sylvia would understand.
And that will always make me smile.
Day 65: Gifts from the Heart
Day 64: The Arrival of Fall Day 63: To Kill a Mockingbird Day 62: Green Lights Day 61: My Canine Friends Day 60: Differences Day 59: A New Box of Crayons Day 58: Bookworms Day 57: Being Oblivious Day 56: Three-day Weekends Day 55: A Cat Purring Day 54: Being a Unique Individual Day 53: Children’s Artwork Day 52: Lefties Day 51: The Neighborhood Deer Day 50: Campfires Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You” Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap Day 31: Perspective Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads Day 25: When Harry Met Sally Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 50
I read somewhere that our natural attraction to a campfire is part of the human collective memory. For centuries, we depended on fire for heat, cooking and a place to gather for camaraderie.
Even now, when we have other energy sources and gathering places, we are still drawn to the orange flames, crackling sparks and smell of smoke.
Some of my best memories occurred on stumps, benches and folding chairs that circled around campfires. There’s incredible comfort in the simplicity of singing songs, telling stories and roasting marshmallows while watching the embers die.
Those memories always makes me smile.
Day 50: Campfires
Day 49: Childhood Crushes Day 48: The Words “Miss You”
Day 47: Birthday Stories Day 46: Nature’s Hold on Us
Day 45: Play-Doh Day 44: First Day of School Pictures
Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers
Day 41: : Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly
Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 44
Today, like the first day of school when my son started kindergarten 11 years ago, will forever be preserved in photographs.
As my daughter begins seventh grade and my son begins tenth, they are well beyond being the excited children they once were.
But I, just like my mom, still insist on taking obligatory pictures. Maybe that’s because it’s one of the few times I get a picture of my two children together.
Or maybe it’s because I’m watching them grow up too quickly.
Or maybe it’s because I still enjoy the 
first day of school pictures from my own childhood.
For whatever reason, the taking first day of school photos is a family tradition that I’ve held onto.
And it always makes me smile.
Day 44: First Day of School Pictures
Day 43: Calvin and Hobbes Day 42: Appreciative Readers
Day 41: Marilyn Monroe’s Best Quote Day 40: Being Silly
Day 39: Being Happy Exactly Where You Are Day 38: Proud Grandparents
Day 37: Chocolate Chip Cookies Day 36: Challenging Experiences that Make Great Stories
Day 35: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Day 34: Accepting the Fog Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs Day 1: The Martians on Sesame Street
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 33
One of my first memories is of sitting with my family watching a moon landing on the screen of our only television, a black and white Sony with dials with very few channels.
I don’t know which moon landing we were watching, but I do remember thinking that the event had to be much more interesting in live color.
I put on the hand-knitted brown sweater, which I had always wished was pink, and told my parents I was going out in the front yard.
I marched my chubby legs down the front porch steps and stared up at the moon expectantly. I was sure at any moment I would see a couple of ant-sized specks jumping around on it just as I had seen the astronauts jumping on the larger moon on television.
But no matter how hard I stared, I never saw anything moving on the moon.
Eventually, I trudged back up the stairs, removed my ugly brown sweater and rejoined my family.
I never told anyone why I had gone outside, but I think my mom instinctively knew.
She also knew I much I loved singing a song about the moon with her.
“I see the moon and the moon sees me. The moon sees somebody I want to see. So God bless the moon and God bless me. And God bless the somebody I want to see.”
I had to pass that on.
From the moment she was born, I sang that song to my daughter. Since she was singing before she could talk, she was soon singing the song with me.
And to this day, that song always makes me smile.
Day 33: I See the Moon
Day 32: The Stonehenge Scene from This is Spinal Tap
Day 30: Unlikely Friendships Day 29: Good Samaritans
Day 28: Am I a Man or Am I a Muppet? Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory
Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids
Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity
Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay
Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial
Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember
Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons
Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles
Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs
365 Reasons to Smile – Day 27
Shadows have a bad reputation.
They’ve been used by too many horror writers and movie directors to create suspense and fear.
But I think shadows are incredibly interesting, and one of the first poems I ever memorized was I Have a Little Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson:
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed
That poem, and shadows in general, always make me smile.
Day 27: Shadows
Day 26: Bike Riding on Country Roads
Day 24: Hibiscus Day 23: The Ice Cream Truck
Day 22: The Wonderful World of Disney Day 21: Puppy love
Day 20 Personal Theme Songs Day 19: Summer Clouds
Day 18: Bartholomew Cubbin’s Victory
Day 17: A Royal Birth Day 16: Creative Kids
Day 15: The Scent of Honeysuckle Day 14: Clip of Kevin Kline Exploring His Masculinity
Day 13: Random Text Messages from My Daughter Day 12: Round Bales of Hay
Day 11: Water Fountains for Dogs Day 10: The Rainier Beer Motorcycle Commercial
Day 9: Four-Leaf Clovers Day 8: Great Teachers We Still Remember
Day 7: Finding the missing sock Day 6: Children’s books that teach life-long lessons
Day 5: The Perfect Photo at the Perfect Moment Day 4: Jumping in Puddles
Day 3: The Ride Downhill after the Struggle Uphill Day 2: Old Photographs
Just So You Know 