There is nothing like that feeling of lightness and ease that can arrive, seemingly out of nowhere, and make us feel so damn good. We all know the feeling. We all want the feeling. And yet, try as we might to create a fail-safe recipe for creating this magical buoyancy, it defies our efforts.

Does this song always make you happy? Sorry, not today.

Does the smell of fresh ginger always perk you up? Yeah, just not today.

Do you love talking with your dogs/best friend/mother/hairdresser/what-have-you and it always makes you feel better? Um, try again tomorrow.

It?s elusive, for sure. Just when you think you have it all locked up?pfffhht, you open the bottle and the genie is gone.

So then you go through all the same motions as you did when you were happy only now they are heavy, leaden. You talk about ?the grind.? You sigh heavily at the prospect of pulling on socks or putting the cap back onto the tube of toothpaste. SO. MUCH. WORK. But you plod along with the faith that it will get better even though you completely forget what that feels like.

I remember one evening in Spring my freshman year in college?ever keen to capture happiness and pin it to my bulletin board?I declared to the group at large I would always remember this moment?a Wednesday at 6:15 pm in Tupelo Park! Profound happiness (known to cynical adults as hormones and alcohol) flooded my body?I was certain if I date stamped the feeling I would always be able to tap into the vibration of this feeling in the future. Oh clever child.

As you may have guessed, although I do remember the date, moments after the declaration, my body spontaneously crumpled into the back of the pick-up truck I was standing on and I passed out.

Not sure where I?m going with this except to say?this morning? I woke up feeling light, easy and wait for it?happy. Could it be because all my papers are corrected, mid-term grades are done, my own class work for color theory and drawing are in good stead, after tomorrow I am on vacation until March 17, the first registration for SAW floated in yesterday (it was international so allowed to arrive early) and it was wrapped in the most beautiful, inspired artwork that my heart just sang?

All likely possibilities to be sure.

But what I?m thinking? I?m thinking that the Sun Dancer has let loose his powerful wampum and is shaking it all over my head, and baby, it feels so good.

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