"Hello Everybody, you're so glad to see me!"  This is how my little friend Lexi greeted  her parents at the dinner table one night.  When her mom, Amy, told me the story it just made me smile~  This is how I get to feel everytime I teach!  I am so lucky to be doing work that brings me not only personal satisfaction and a paycheck, it brings me joy~  I get to live my bliss!  When I was first out of school I remember reading articles about finding work you loved and not worrying so much about the paycheck.  What was that book?  "Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow"?  Unfortunately for so many of us the money comes first~ we have to house, feed, clothe and shelter our families and maybe have some fun too, so we want to do work that will pay us enough for what we need AND want.  But, what if everyone focused on "living their bliss?"  Would the money really follow?  

I am fully aware that I couldn't do the job I'm doing the way I'm doing it if I didn't have spouse with a good job and benefits.  But, I would hope that if circumstances were different I would still find a way to do what I love.  My previous professional life involved counseling and working with families who were really struggling~  important work but really exhausting draining for me.  In retrospect I think a lot of that is because I was also starting my own family and as those of you with babies know, I was tired and wore my heart on my sleeve all the time!  The other piece though that was missing for me was music.  I was so wrapped up in working and caring for my young family that there was no time for music~  no choirs, no dance classes, I didn't even sing with my children as much as I thought I did.  

When I began singing and dancing again, a big black hole in my soul was filled up - I didn't even know it was there!   I had no idea how important it was for me to be expressing myself musically in order to be a happy fullfilled person~ finding a way to work that allows me to sing and dance all the time just makes everything better.  I still have a crazy busy life and never enough time to do anything; I don't make a lot of money, but do make enough to help support my family; I do make a difference in the lives of the children and families who are "glad to see me" everyday and that is why no matter what, I will always find a way to make music with as many people as I can as long as I live!

What's your bliss?  Are you living it? If you are, tell me about it; if you're not, why?  When we live our bliss, our happiness can radiate out to those around us ~ the happier we are as individuals, the happier the world will be as a community...