Natural Highs

#15 on the list of Natural Highs.
Taken by me at Watervale, August 2007.

A good friend sent me a delightful email yesterday that put a big smile on my face. It was titled "Natural Highs" and I'm sure you (like me) have seen this list before, but it's so good it's worth repeating.

How many Natural Highs have you experienced recently? I've had 25 Natural Highs lately.

Natural Highs

1. Falling in love.

2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. No lines at the supermarket.

5. A special glance.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).

12. A bubble bath.

13. Giggling.

15. The beach.

16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

17. Laughing at yourself.

18. Looking into someone's eyes and knowing they love you.

19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

20. Running through sprinklers.

21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.

23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS.

24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

26. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).

27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

28. Playing with a new puppy.

29. Having someone play with your hair.

30. Sweet dreams.

31. Hot chocolate.

32. Road trips with friends.

33. Swinging on swings.

34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

35. Making chocolate chip cookies.

36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

37. Holding hands with someone you care about.

38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

39. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.

40. Watching the sunrise.

41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

42. Knowing that somebody misses you.

43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Today's Silver Lining: A Gorgeous Sunrise

It's bitterly cold outside today. The temperature outside right now is -4. I'm afraid that when I walk outside in a few minutes, my face will fall off, along with other necessary body parts. Although, I do have a section of my thighs and butt and hips and tummy that I'm not terribly fond of or wedded to. But that's another topic.

Anyway, Chicago had a gorgeous sunrise this morning. When I was at Lake Forest College, less than a mile from Lake Michigan, I used to love getting up early and walking down to the beach to watch the sunrise. I'm not really a morning person, so it didn't happen often enough which is something I regret.

Turn your volume down - you don't want to listen to the reporters drone on about how cold it is and that it's not getting any warmer.