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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Nothing Imaginary About My "Happy Place"

I remember watching a movie long ago during which a therapist worked miracles with a patient by encouraging her to "Imagine your Happy Place". I also remember thinking at the time "Yeah, Right!" "If ever I'm in pain or near hysteria, I will smack whoever tells me that"
As I arrived at the stables this morning, a half hour before it was even open; and happily sat in my car feeling totally at home; anticipating a few hours with horses and good, like-minded people, I realized: "Not only do I have a Happy Place, but I can use Google Maps to find my way back there, anytime I ever get lost.

19 comments:

  1. I feel the same way at my current barn - didn't at the last one. It's definitely a happy place for me - and since I've got three horses to ride most days, I get to spend a lot of time there!

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  2. You are most fortunate. It takes a bottle of Jack Daniels to get me to my happy place.

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  3. Kate, It sounds as though you made the right move:)

    Stephen, you and I probably both have aches and pains the next day, but for different reasons. Mine make me smile as I creak around.

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  4. My hot tub is my happy place. When I am stressed I just remember that I can climb in and ahhhhh everything is better.

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  5. Horses and happy places go together, don't they. The feel and smell of a horse....nothing like it!

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  6. A real happy place in the hand beats two virtual ones in the bush any day.

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  7. Birdie, I'd forgotten that one. I miss my hot tub. I loved it at night, under the stars.

    Frances, I sometimes ask my husband if he wants to smell my forearm when I come back from the barn. Horse sweat and sunshine on warm skin. I find it very sensual. He doesn't appreciate it at all.

    Steve, Well said.

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  8. Thoroughly agree... I think we all need a "happy place".

    Though the only problem is that with the passage of years, some happy places may turn into unhappy places, like my grandparents' home which got sold after their deaths, and now has fallen into disrepair, past the point of no return, a once happy place turned to sadness. And something similar is likely to happen to the place we go in Brittany every summer.

    But other happy places will be found, life goes on for the living...

    PS, was just reading your previous post too about traveling to Cornwall. We had a lovely trip to Falmouth and the region a few years back. If you have the time there is a place called the "Lost Gardens of Heligan" that is well worth a visit, not far from Falmouth.

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  9. Owen, I still remember your poem about your lost "happy place". Life changes and it changes us. We grown-ups must stick together:)Onward into the breach, etc...
    I have not been to Heligan. I was planning to return to Trebah and Glendurgan gardens. Maybe I'll branch out this time:) Thanks for the tip.

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  10. I feel the same as you do about all this self help clap-trap, but remembering, or rather knowing, that there is a place or an activity we can rely on to lift our spirits is of great comfort. Sometimes.

    I wish I were closer to Cornwall.

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  11. Friko, You're a lot closer to Cornwall than I am. If you get in your car, you can be there the same day:)

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  12. I've been thinking about this and had decided that I don't have one . Not because I'm tragically sad , I hasten to add !
    On the other hand I do enjoy cooking . Chopping vegetables for soup , stirring , sieving and adding splashes and dashes of things to bubbling pans is all very peaceful and comforting . So maybe I do ... and the kitchen's my 'Happy Place'.

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  13. The Kitchen is my happy place. Anyone's kitchen actually. No aches and pains, unless you count growing ones.

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  14. S&S glad to help you discover your "Happy Place"

    Wally, I enjoy cooking, and serving guests, but too many obligatory meals, and too much clean-up, knock the kitchen off the top of my "Happy Place" list.

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  15. My happy place is nearly anywhere here at home because I have my horses here and a bevy of adorable cats to keep me smiling.

    Just caught up with your post below...all I can say is that I am worn out just reading about your plans. It all sounds just wonderful and memory filled. Wishing it all works out even better than planned. *S*

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  16. Jean, I'm not surprised at all that you live in your Happy Place. Good for you:) As to my plans, this is all "Plan B", but I'll surely make the most of it, thank you.

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  17. I think we all have a 'happy place'... or at least I would hope so. No one ever told me to go there, but when I was going through Radiation, I certainly found it.

    Have to tell you that I have never seen that picture of the child praying with those words before... and I'm 67! It friggin bowled me over with laughter. Thank you for that.

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  18. That's a pretty nice happy place, and a sane one, to boot. Glad that you're still going there regularly.

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  19. Rian, I visited your blog and adore the photos of your granddaughter on an enormous horse. She's doing great. The pony prayer is an image on a fridge magnet that I bought in England. It just sums it all up for me. Glad you liked it.

    Deborah, It's very serene to have a concrete and achievable happy place.

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