Month: March 2024

My two cats (siblings) have a birthday this month. I am not sure of the exact date since their feral mom gave birth to them in a rural North Carolina garage. I have chosen my great niece’s birthday on March 23 since she was born that day 14 years ago. In human years, they are now 72 years old-almost as old as me!

I love these kitties as I have loved the previous four cats that were integral to my life. I could not find the reference for the title of this blog, but it resonated with me. Anyone who has loved an animal has experienced the joy and connections that these family members give. I will not try to put into words what most people feel about their beloved pets.

Several weeks ago, however, I was talking with friends about my cats. I remarked that Gitch had had a urethra obstruction that required surgery and hospitalization and cost me several thousand dollars. One person questioned why I would have spent that money on a cat. In my mind it was a “no-brainer.” Although it hit my pocketbook, I had savings in reserve for emergencies and this certainly was one. My heart hurts for people who might not have the means to save a cherished pet in crisis.

My kitties had their annual well checks three weeks ago. Although they each have health issues (Mog has hypothyroidism and Gitch has a heart murmur plus the propensity to another urethra problem), they are doing well. I recognize they are aging just as I am. They have slowed down just as I have.

I do not dwell on their journey over the rainbow bridge someday, but I want them to have the best lives they can until that happens. I also know that it is possible that I may not live as long as them, so I have a financial plan set up in a trust for the care of any of my pets that might outlive me.

Pets require great attention. Inflation has impacted the cost of health care, medication, and prescription food for my darlings. Yet, my life with my cats is priceless. Happy Birthday Mog and Gitch!

Bunny tracks in the snow, ice crystals clinging to grasses, a gentle warning from a fellow walker about ice ahead, the chirping of a chickadee—these are incidents that happened one morning as I was walking along Lake Estes. I call them smile snacks.

Several weeks ago, I read an article about “joy snacks” in the Washington Post (WP). Although I liked that notion, I think of joy as something internal and broad. The events that happen serendipitously in my life and cause a physical external reaction on my face are what I call smile snacks.

I asked ChatGPT what it knew about joy snacks or smile snacks, and it suggested it might be some kind of product one could buy. Obviously “artificial intelligence” was wrong and not able to articulate what the emotions of joy or smiles might mean.

Smile snacks are identifiable to me and something I am open to each day. They provide a way of tuning into the pleasant, lovely, and unexpected experiences of my everyday living.

Smile snacks improve the mood of my day. Big events that make me happy are important, but these smaller experiences add up to bring meaning. These positive emotions help me feel connected to a bigger world. One of the co-authors of the WP article noted that, “It’s not just about you creating meaning in your head… It’s about detecting meaning that’s already out there.”

Recently I came across another similar idea called glimmers. “Glimmers are those moments in the day that make you feel joy, happiness, peace, or gratitude. Once you train your brain to be on the lookout for glimmers, these tiny glimmers will occur more and more.”

I prefer the idea of smile snacks because it evokes turning up the corners of my mouth. Physiologically in a stressful situation, a smile relaxes one’s face and can lower stress.

Being open to smile snacks is important. They do not happen all the time, but I am learning to acknowledge when those opportunities occur. Noting beauty, having a brief connection, or remembering something special provides emotional nourishment to me.

I love living near Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and donating hours each week to volunteering in various capacities. I embrace the idea that Ken Burns and others promoted about the story of the US National Parks as uniquely American and radical in that the “most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone.”

This movement is monumental, and I applaud the efforts to expand the story of these special places that include natural beauty and wildlife habitat, historical events, and cultural significance.

The National Park Service (NPS) was established in 1916. The creation marked a significant milestone in the conservation movement in the United States as it aimed to protect the nation’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations. Today, the NPS manages over 400 sites including national parks, monuments, historic sites, and recreational areas. Recent efforts have promoted the understanding and appreciation of diverse natural and cultural resources.

This inclusion involves acknowledging events that are not necessarily happy stories. Yet, these accounts are necessary to honor American history. In the past month, the Amache Historical Site was dedicated near Granada, Colorado. It was one of ten incarceration sites during World War II to unjustly incarcerate Japanese Americans. The website suggests it is “a place to reflect, recommit, and further the pursuit of freedom and justice.”  In New York City last month, I visited the African Burial Ground National Monument. I had no idea about that history.

Although RMNP is almost 110 years old, telling the story of the park is moving toward recognizing better what Indigenous people contributed. One of the interpretive rangers working on this project emphasizes that the natural and cultural history is not being rewritten, but the story of RMNP can be more inclusive with better interpretations of the history through collaboration with Indigenous communities.

It remains crucial for the NPS to continue to address issues often overlooked in American history. I am proud that Rocky Mountain National Park is working to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable representation of America’s diverse heritage within this national park.