8 Things You Should Smile About

Today I decided that I would put the world under a microscope and analyze "what" exactly makes me smile. A lot of them are things that I don't consciously know will prompt a grin or a hearty chuckle, nevertheless, it was fun to make these discoveries, and perhaps they will inspire you to look closely at the simplest things that make you happy:

1. Looking out your window and seeing that glorious golden orb that emits light and heat, especially after it hasn't shown its face in a while. It was definitely one of those Thumbelina moments, "once there was the sun...."

2. Putting on lipstick. It's such a simple and therapeutic thing. Voila! Instant confidence booster! Seriously, makeup does wonders on the soul, even if it's just gliding on a touch of lipstick. Seriously ladies, if there's one thing you need in your makeup bag, it's a good solid romantic red shade that will stop a man in his tracks.

3. Toast with peanut butter and honey. Don't wrinkle your nose like that. It's seriously a wonderful snack for when you are craving something sweet and gooey and heart warming. It's like drinking a warm cup of tea or receiving a hug, warm and inviting.

4. Making random and odd noises to accompany whatever task you are trying to accomplish. I don't know about you, but I am a big fan of making funny squeaks and squeals and snorts. I am also a big fan of wiggling. I could be doing homework and I would be wiggling and making purring noises just to appease the silence on my room.

5. That moment you realize that you have one last KitKat bar hiding at the bottom of your chocolate stash. Yeah.

6. Filling out your calendar. Being organized is my thing. I hate not being able to see what is happening next week, because I might forget something or miss something completely. Plus, doodling all over the calendar with the dry-erase marker is half the fun.

7. Looking through your jewelry box. It's like reacquainting yourself with old friends. Especially when you open all the lockets, trying to remember if it holds sweet secrets or not.

8. Walking past someone who is wearing a very subtle cologne and or perfume. It's always fun trying to guess what brand it might be, and or what that particular scent reminds you of.

Smile today my gentle readers! And discover why! :)

~Piper

Unplug

You know what's sad?

Walking down the street and seeing everyone around you with ear buds in listening to the music on their fancy-schmancy iPods and iPhones, while texting frivolously as though it is a matter of life and death, or having a conversation on the phone while exclaiming OMG and LULZ, or even sitting outside with their laptops skyping people from far-away places and don't blink for a few solid hours.

Seriously people?

I know that we are technologically advancing faster than we can blink, and the gadgets are all new and exciting, and our materialistic society condemns us if we do not possess these things and integrate them into everything we do in our daily lives. But come now!

I dare you, yes YOU, to unplug yourself today. Challenge yourself. Detach yourself from your television, laptop, cellphone, music player, ipad, ANYTHING that requires your undivided attention and causes your brain to melt out of your ears. Just push it all away for an hour.

That's right, and hour. Think you can handle it?

I super duper double dog dare you.

"But Piper, whatever shall I do with my life?!" Well inquisitive and desperate reader, let me tell you all the wonderful things that you can do, and what people HAVE done before all of this technology butted in.

Take a leisurely walk, pick up a book (A book? What's that?), actually meet up with a friend and talk to them face to face (le gasp!), have an in-depth conversation over a cup of coffee, go on a spontaneous date with your loved one, play with your pet(s), be a cool parent and play hide-and-seek with your kids, something.

Encourage others to do so too! I promise that the hour will pay off, and will actually be beneficial for you. Slowly ween yourself off of the ideological notion that the people living inside your cell phone need to talk to you all the time. They can wait. Life can wait. So sit back, relax, and simply enjoy the silence of no annoyingly humming computer of keyboard clicking.

Take some photographs, paint a picture, do a workout, bake some celebratory cookies.

Go for it! Especially the cookies, everybody loves cookies.

I'll be unplugging for an hour as well today, I think my dusty "Pride & Prejudice" needs a little lovin'.

Be strong, you can do this, and remember, no peeking! Not for an hour.

Good luck! :)

~Piper

A Single Pearl

Death is one of the scariest concepts we can ponder, witness, and eventually experience.

It is a big part of the human condition to fear what we naturally do not understand and cannot control or prevent. We forget that we do not live forever despite our best intentions to be healthy and invest in anti-aging products. What we forget is that it is also natural.

Dieing is a part of life. The greatest paradox known to mankind.

Just this week alone I have lost two fantastic beings, one being a pet (my betta fish Castle) as well as a parent of a very close friend. I can't say I ever met them, but I do know that they were a huge part of my friend's life, someone to look up to, someone to love, someone who was a really great father.

It's strange how much we come to appreciate life when it is lost. If anything, it's moments like these where we become more human, more aware of how precious and transient life is.

I only hope that you, whoever you are, take a moment to really appreciate everything you have. Every breath. Every heartbeat. Every muscle movement. Every feeling. And every smile.

I know...pretty deep. But I thought it would be a good way of getting my jumbled thoughts out to people who would read and listen and absorb.

Absorb away my little sponges of wisdom!

~Piper