This picture makes me instantly happy. My baby girl is on the far right, and the other cuties were born within a few months of Sophia. We all go to the same church and have had fun seeing each other's babies. Sophia has four teeth now at 11 months and gives the sweetest pumpkin-faced smiles. Her smiles make me happy.I read an article entitled "Finding Joy" on WebMD. The teaser on the website's home page -- showing a smiling woman with a link to the article -- aroused my skepticism because I think people are so different and complex that how can any three-paged article REALLY have the answers to happiness. I mean, when I'm feeling down, there's nothing like a certain poem or song to lift my spirits up again. My husband, on the other hand, could probably achieve the same level of joy from a bag of Cheetos or an episode of "The Colbert Report." I read the article out of curiosity, and I was horrified to find that I did fit into a certain general niche (maybe I should be comforted that many of us need the same things to maintain a happy outlook).
The full title of the article is "Finding Joy: A Mind-Body-Spirit Guide." It sounds corny enough, but I'm glad that modern medicine is embracing the idea of not just throwing pills at someone for problems. The article talked about depression and how that involves a spiritual crisis in most cases, not just an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. It talks about Eastern medicine and the benefits of mindfulness, a Buddhist practice that involves focusing on what is before you -- the present -- as a way to make life more manageable and to calm down an active mind. Sounds like something I could use for sure; I have way too many freeloading thoughts floating around up there.
Here's the scary part: I found out my mind-body type, as determined in Ayurvedic medicine (used for centuries in India), is Air. So, you say. So?! So it totally fits me! All of the suggestions for Air types are things that have worked for me, things I like to do. The article says Air types need repetitive aerobic exercise, like walking, biking and that spending time outside in nature is good to ground them. I actually feel a need to get out in nature, and I prefer doing my own exercise rather than joining in competitive sports. It says structure for eating, exercise, and sleep is helpful to the anxious Airy types, which is something that I haven't developed easily on my own. It says warmth is important to an Air -- warm baths, massages, and comfort foods. Anyone who's been around me long knows how I despise cold weather. I crave warmth and my worst nightmare would be to find myself in Ray Bradbury's story, All Summer in a Day. Also, deep breathing practices help calm Air people down. My Dad recommended this practice to me when I was working at a daily newspaper. :)
I have found all of these things to help me when I'm agitated or stressed. I guess you could say they would help anyone, but that's the beauty of it -- the general advice is still helpful. It somehow comforts me that life could be broken down into such basic nuggets of advice. I don't need to see three doctors and take twenty pills to improve my overall well-being; I just need to go for a walk, take a few deep breaths and sink into a bubble bath. Please tell me life is so simple! Anyway, I don't expect life to always bring me a smile. If I didn't know the bitter, I wouldn't appreciate the sweet, as I've read. I hope overall my life will be sweet. Sweet like a baby girl wearing an apple dress in the summertime.
