BEING HAPPY IS A CHOICE!

When I was a very y oung child, I stayed with my Grandma for a few days.  I didn't know of onyone to play with  and got a bit complaining about being bored.  Grandma didn't chide me but did point out that there were many things to do if  I would look for them. 

She suggested that I look out the window and see something to interest me.  I looked.  Nothing was there but trees and sidewalk and a pole fence.  The fence was made out of pipe and was about three feet tall.  I didn't want to admit it but it did look like I could find some fun there.  After pouting for a little while, grandma tald me that if I unhappy, it was because I had chosen to be.  Well, that made me mad!  I didn't choose anything.  I was there because Mother said I was going to stay there for a few days. 

Grandma began telling me what makes for unhappiness.  She mentioned having a word fight with a sibling, taking something that was not mine or dling NOTHING, which was the biggest reason for unhappiness.  She asked me if I had taken something that was not mine.  NO!  I answered in a "not so nice" voice.  Did I talk mean to someone?  NO!  Again, not so kind.  "Well, then, Evaune dear, I guess you have made a choice to be miserable."  I do not recall the rest of the afternoon, but I do remember years later when I was with her.  She had been in bed for the night and she came into the living room where I had been sleeping.  She stood there, unable to sit down because she was crippled, and told me this.  "Evaune dear, every morning when I wake up, I ask myself, will I be happy or unhappy?  I try to remember what I have to be unhappy about.  I can't remember wthout going back and thinking abour a sad event.  Or I have to try and remember when someone was mean to me, or when I was sick.  I just have to work so hard to remember the bad things that I give up and decide to BE HAPPY!  I just can't be bothered remembering all the ugly part, it takes too much energy.  So I take the high road and remember how happy life is.  IT is happy, Evaune dear, or you wouldn't belong to such a happy family and go to such a good school, etc."

I can see her still, in her flannel nightgown, her night cap still on her head.  She never looked disgusted or angry, just very sure of her truth.   I remember that very often   And make it my business to see the good in the world.  It does take a lot of energy to recall every hurt and sad event.  I think we were made to be happy.   It is pretty easy if you can remember the blessings given with an open  mind.  I love that mentality.  BE HAPPY, IT IS A CHOICE!

LIFE IS SIMPLE, SUGAR IS SWEET, BOOTS ARE BLACK, CEILINGS ARE WHITE, AND DON'T MESS IT UP

Those of us who were born with very ACTIVE imaginations, know that we can make a marble game into the Olympics if we are turned loose to plan as we wish.  It was  impossible for me to start the dreaming process without the "BIGGER IS BETTER" attitude.  I remember asking my Mother if I could mke a birthday cake for my brother, Sterling.  He was just younger than I and his birthday was July.  She  asked me not to make a big mess and if I did I must clean it up.

Box cakes were not on the market yet so I was going to go from "scratch".  Mother's receipes were in a shoe box and that, in itself, was a real fun trip.  I started to read them and the more I read the more I thought I could open a restaurant.  I finally settled on an applesauce  cake.  It called for buttermilk, but we didn't have any of that.  To remedy that fact, I just mixed butter and milk.  Mother had a hand mixer that did a fine job.  By the time I was putting it in the oven, it looked like a war had taken place there in the kitchen.  Mother was so good at letting us "fail"!  That is not easy for any leader. 

Finally, after an  hour baking in the oven, I was ready to take it out and frost it.  I had already made the frosting.  Because it was a birthday in July, I had made three colors of frosting.  Red, White, and blue. In using the food coloring, I had wiped it from my hands to Mother's coveted WHITE dish towel.  I did not clean up as well as I could have because I was BUSY making a flag cake!

I just knew Sterling would love it.  It was our tradition to let the birthday person choose the menu for the evening meal.  I hoped Sterling would choose fried chicken because that was MY favorite supper.
I do not even remember what he chose because I remember the tragic end of my beautiful cake.

The candles were put on the cake and Sterling had made his wish.  We sang the Happy Birthday song now it was time to cut and serve it.

The cake smelled wonderful as it baked.  I would never have this kind of cake failure again.  Sterling got the first slice.  As it was being transfered from cake pan to plate it fell apart as if it was rice!  What?  WHAT?  Oh, the anguish of seeing the frosting and cake as if it was a caserole dish!!

The butter I used was home made.  I meant to use a cup full, but when I discussed it with Mother, she informed me that the plate of butter measured out to two cups.  I was just going to use one cup milk and one cup butter.........buttermilk!

I don't think the pigs appreciated the greasy sweet cake as it was being served with potatoe peelings, left over beans and any other food garbage.  Mother reminded me that because I did not ckean the kitchen as I knew I could, I could practice on supper cleanup..

So, that is that!  Follow the instructions carefully and do not just suppose you can do it YOUR WAY!

Remember; LIFE IS SIMPLE, SUGAR IS SWEET, BOOTS ARE BLACK, CEILINGS ARE

                   WHITE, AND DO NOT MESS IT UP!!!!