What price happiness?

Little things that have made me happy in the past couple of days.
Just before Christmas my beloved, if indeed vintage U2 ipod died...suddenly! This meant all packing had to cease for me to run into the shop whereupon they pronounced that the hard drive had indeed gone to ipod heaven, however, they offer a wonderful replacement service at a fraction of a cost, but due to Christmas and it coming from Amsterdam there would be a delay.
Yesterday I called in to collect my brand new shiny identical pod... and am back to functioning normally with it...yay... good news!

I miss music if it's not around.

I also returned to the gym, and hence have been borrowing other peoples ipods, something odd about having someone elses collection of music in your hands to play with, even though they have been those of my family. It gives an interesting perspective on each of my children somehow.
I grew up without much music, other than radio 2 in the car on the way into school in the mornings with my Dad, and I do wonder what I'd have had on my ipod back then if they had existed.

Getting back to the gym and exercise is starting to take effect, not physically so that you'd notice, but to how I feel, getting back in touch with my body and feeling it working as it should be, pushing it enough to feel my heart and be aware of my breathing, letting the endorphins kick in, as well as time and space and the pleasure of seeing the fit young toned and tanned anonymous skipper/boxer/footballer... who knows who he is...but yesterday he was cycling, and I know I stayed exercising for slightly longer than I would have done because of it, a kind of personal trainer without paying for it :)
(hope I didn't go overboard on that aspect of the gym there...)

Last night we watched the sing along version of Mama Mia with S - and in the comfort of my own home I enjoyed singing along. I enjoyed it far more here than I did at the cinema, and it did have that certain 'feel good' factor.

Today both my children have been out playing with friends. Something I take for granted. Lots I take for granted... I wonder about what price happiness...

I listen to the news, read bits and pieces, not ever as much as I want to,
time is such a governing factor...and yet I find myself reprimanding myself for that, it is a lame excuse most of the time.

just caught up with this pod cast(s)/ video from the trip made to Palestine earlier this year by a group of people from Greenbelt

Bethlehem - somewhere there are no parks or playgrounds...

and yet in the midst of all that is around them they keep hold of hope, hope for a new year better than previous ones.

Worlds apart I sit and pray and ponder and hope for peace...

Thoughts this New Years eve on what I really need to make me happy.

Hope your New Year is peaceful and 2009 is a great year full of magic, awe and wonder, x