OK; you know what made me happy today? True story:
We went down the street to watch the 4th of July parade for Fremont. It was very fun; it has been years since I got to just hang out and watch a "neighborhood" Independence Day parade. As we walked back to a local restaurant for lunch, I started to feel an on-coming anxiety attack. I tried to "bull through it", but couldn't.
I used to have them a lot many, many years ago, but hadn't had them for about a decade until just recently. I think it has something to do with work stress building up until it bubbles over. Anywho, for those who've never had one, they are kinda inherently scary. You are filled with what the medic-type folks call "a sense of doom", and often get shaky, light-headed, reduced circulation in your extremities, and very agitated. Even though I know what they are and recognize the symptoms, conscious awareness of what is happening is not sufficient to prevent it from happening. Its a sub-conscious sort of thing.
So, we left the restaurant and went home where I laid down to let it run it's course (about all you can do other than taking some anti-anxiety med like Atavan or something, which I prefer not to do).
This is where the "happy" happens... of course, my lovely wife was cuddled up with me just giving her support and the psychological help that "having someone watch over me" provides. But then, in came the kitties. They were agitated themselves, because we have contractors in the house remodeling the master bath... but they sensed that I was in distress, and did what kitties do when one of "theirs" needs help - kitty pile.
They both slumped against me and started purring, just being there for me and comforting.
Is it silly for a 47-year old man to get teary-eyed about that simple, instinctive animal sense of comforting community? All "my women" cuddled around me helping me get through a stressed time...
THAT'S something that made me happy today.
Insp. 2211
