What makes you so happy?

Sometime back some artist friends of mine began a debate on the topic 'What makes you so angry?' People came up with lots of interesting, even entertaining incidents. But, speaking for myself, if I start listing things that make me angry, I start becoming angry - and then I'm not a very nice person to have around. So I prefer to be like the proverbial ostrich in this matter and would much rather bury my head in the sand than dwell to this extent on the unpleasant things. So I started to think instead, 'What makes you so happy?' and the sad part is I actually needed to rack my brains about that to begin with. It's kind of amazing how easily and frequently the good stuff gets overlooked. Equally amazing how much of it is actually there, right under your nose.

Anyway, here are some of the things I came up with that fill me with thrill :

Waking up at dawn in a tent in the Himalayas, with towering, cloud shrouded snow peaks rising up into the high sky, and a thick white mist hanging over the dark-green valley.

Morning sunshine on a newly bloomed rose.

Guppies shimmering in my pond, jostling one another to get to the algae.

Floating leaves of the lotus

Green and pink hibiscus blooming at the same time side by side.

A mixed-up crowd of marigolds in all different shades of yellow and orange.

Green, terraced fields that stretch far into the blue.

Butterflies flitting about and birds making a noisy din.

Sparrows hopping about in the leaf-laced patch of sunlight in the open kitchen doorway.

A bird flying very high up in the sky.

A skyful of brightly colored kites.

Dew-drops clinging to the green bamboo leaves.

Monsoon skies dark with the promise of rain.

Smell of the earth after the first shower.

Lightning streaking through the sky and thunder rumbling right overhead.

Walking a long way in the rain, getting soaking wet, and not missing a single puddle if I can help it.

Discovering waterfalls and standing under them.

Picking up interesting shaped/colored stones.

Being at home with my family.

My mother's cooking - her strength and sense of humor - actually everything about her - love that woman to total bits!!!

My father's attitude - 'Never mind, it's only money' - 'Never mind, something better will come up'

My sister's constant support

Remembering my late grandparents - my grandfather was the pillar of my existence - with my grandmother I had grand arguments.

Cooking out of recipe books (because I never can remember exact measures)

My four wonderful nephews, who eat everything I cook and come back the next time as well.

My three lovely nieces, who live too far to be spoiled daily.

My neighborhood kids.

My wonderful dogs, Munchkin, Zebba, and Chubary.

Traveling long distance in a train - watching the scenery and people fly past.

Meter-gauge trains that wind slowly uphill and you can sit in the open doorway and pluck leaves off the trees you pass.

Music - mad about it - the right kind at the right time.

Poetry - ditto.

Singing at the top of my voice in the bathroom.

Jokes that make you topple over laughing.

Making up my own music on the guitar - because that's the only kind I can play.

Sketching, drawing, painting - and everything falling wonderfully into place.

New Illustration Projects and Wonderful Editors.

Stories that end happily ever after.

People enjoying my work.

People who are kind and considerate and give me my space.

People who are funny and eccentric and non-main-stream, and make life all the more interesting.

Movies - lots of them.

Books - lots of them.

Second-hand book shops and first-hand music stores.

Running into new kindred spirits.

Meeting up with the old ones.

Fountains that light up as darkness falls.

A bright, starry sky.

Cold air turning to mist when you blow it.

Falling leaves that are such a pain to rake up later.

The start of a long holiday.

Old temples and old monuments.

Chimpanzees, Tigers, and other wild animals, where we can watch each other from a polite distance without the formality of zoo bars.

Bird Sanctuaries.

A narrow trail through a dense forest.

A long white beach, with the surf crashing and the birds wheeling, completely deserted otherwise.

Being alone and never lonely.

Well, I'm glad I got that out. Now I'm ALL cheered up and heading back to do some fantastic work.