Happy Things

Saturday, February 16, 2013

There are a few things in life that make me unnaturally happy. They are not all that common but when they do I believe in love and joy and peace and all sorts of shiny words.

And so, in no particular order:  Two things that bring Elisa joy

1. Haircuts given outside on the porch. I don't often see this at home but when I lived in Tennessee it happened on our street occasionally. Sometimes it was the landlords son, shrinking up his shoulders when the scissors went across the forehead. Another time it was the man getting his hair buzzed on a warm summer night. Once, it was even a lady getting a perm with the house windows open and television blaring.

2. People riding horses beside the road in town. Sometimes you will see horse and rider in our small town, usually in a field or by a barn but it makes me happy to see horses in more unusual places. Once it was a man galloping away from the intersection on Chestnut street, past the houses and beauty shop. Recently, it was two riders next to a lonely stretch of highway outside of town and a few miles later three more riders headed towards them. I think they were going to meet up.

I don't know exactly why these things make me extra happy but after doing some analysis I think that it is seeing something where you don't expect to see it. Horses don't get ridden across town and hair doesn't get done outside. But then it does happen and my heart sings.