Please Happy

When I was a little girl, Christmas was my favorite time of year. Still is. In fact, traveling in third world countries, going through life’s dramas and even trekking up mountains, I listen to Christmas music. Sometimes I belt it out while hiking, driving, sitting. It makes me smile.

But, as a little girl in the backseat of my parents’ blue station wagon, driving along the streets of Baltimore, I thrilled not only at the songs, but also the brightly decorated houses, fences and entire neighborhoods. In my little mind, Christmas lights strung from rooftops and across porches were the epitome of all that is good with the world (that was before I learned about compact florescent bulbs and energy usage, of course). And, to this feeling, I gave a name: Please Happy – the two best words I knew.

Every time I saw Christmas lights, I’d shout “Please Happy” and point. It became a Whaley family staple in the car from mid-November until my birthday in January.

I’ve been trying to think of a blog name that describes me, my quest for knowledge, for connection, for happiness, for giving back and for adventure. And I realize that it doesn’t have to be deep or all-encompassing, that describing a feeling that means joyful living in the moment is just perfect.