Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Fortunate Fortunes

When I think about fortune cookies, I can't help but think about The Joy Luck Club where the women get jobs working for the fortune cookie factory and wonder why in the world people think they're a Chinese dessert.

Tonight I had Chinese food for dinner, and my fortune said, "Don't pursue happiness--create it."

Now don't ask me how a stale, basically tasteless oddly shaped American made cookie with a tiny slip of paper made me delve into the philosophical, but it did.

My first thought was that Oprah would love this. You know, the whole put your desires out there into the universe and it will reward you. I love Oprah. (I was watching her show today and Mason was aghast that he couldn't watch Nick Jr. He said, "Mom, WHY do you always have to watch Oprah?")

Then I was seriously wondering, do we create our own happiness? My first happiness (and greatest challenge) is my children. And them I definitely created. I have the stretch marks to prove it.

But going beyond the obvious happiness in life, I started to think about others, which naturally only led me to things that make me unhappy.

The kids are noisy and messy which is stressful.
I am so tired. So very, very tired.
The laundry is endless. I swear it frickin' breeds.

So I played a little game. Can I create happiness out of these things that I label as happiness destroyers?

The kids are noisy and messy which is stressful.
When I tune out the peripherals, and really really listen, I hear Mason doing a perfect imitation of the trombone Roger plays in 101 Dalmatians to accompany his "Cruella Deville" song. Cole and Lila are laughing hystercially, which makes Mason laugh and do it some more. Now I'm laughing because I'm astonished that he's so good at sounding like a trombone, not to mention the fact that he's pitch perfect. And the whole thing takes me back to my own childhood where I used to watch 101 Dalmatians, a movie which my children are now just discovering and enjoying. The circle of life. And suddenly, with just a little work, I have created some happiness.

I am so tired. So very, very tired.
Every morning, I am woken up. I don't wake up, someone wakes me. Get it? I always wish that my kids would sleep later than me. But then I wouldn't get to wake up to someone's shining face (usually Mason's) as it tentatively climbs into my bed. And as soon as my eyes open, bleary and confused, his face lights up, so happy that I'm awake. The fact that my sweet boys craves my company so much is worth walking around like a zombie most of the time. I think.

The laundry is endless. I swear it frickin' breeds.
I'm not gonna lie. I thought I had the fortune cookie whipped here because laundry is my nemesis, the very bane of my existence. I work and work at it, and still, there is more because all the pesky members of my family are constantly wearing clothes. I was sorting through today's ration of laundry thinking about my victory over the cookie when I saw Cole's shirt from preschool on Monday. The shirt was covered in purple glittery paint (which is thank goodness completely washable), and I immediately recognized the color to be the same one used to paint a dinosaur. He was very proud of that dinosaur today, and insisted on taking it to Grandma's house to show her. And now, in the midst of my least favorite chore, I created a little happiness thinking of my boy at school, swirling away with his purple glittery paint. The damn fortune cookie is victorious yet again.

The cookie came on a good day. It came on a day where I was feeling overwhelmed, under appreciated, stressed, stretched and strained.

I still am all of those things. I have just learned a little bit about being able to float the good to the top of them.

So when life hands you lemons, send life a thank you note.

Oh and P.S.! I'm teaching yoga every Monday at 4:30pm now. Let me tell ya--that creates some happiness!

3 comments:

Tonya said...

Love this entry. You are a great writer and I really enjoy reading your entries.

Tonya said...

Love this entry. You are a great writer and I really enjoy reading your entries.

Kathleen said...

Also, while doing laundry STINKS, at least we have laundry to do, right?

Thanks for reminding me to quit the complaining.