There are things about occasions such as holidays, weddings, birthdays or other types of big celebrations that I enjoy. However, these times bring a lot of emotion for me and a lot of sad feelings, even if the occasion seems like it should bring me great happiness. I get overwhelmed by changes, by time passing, and by memories, and most holidays and occasions are full of these things. At birthdays, whether it is my own or the birthday of a loved one, though I love celebrating the life of that person, I have to fight extreme sadness and anxiety at the realization that I am growing older, that people I love are growing older and that we can never go back to time gone by. At weddings, though I love celebrating the beautiful sacrament of marriage that God created to join together a man and a woman, I am overwhelmed by the emotion of the occasion, by the solemn, serious wonderful life change that is taking place in these people's lives. The fact that once the ceremony is over, they are no longer individual people but a couple, belonging wholly to each other, totally overwhelms me. At holidays such as Christmas and Easter, though I love celebrating those special days and though as a Christian, I know them to be very wonderful occasions to recall the mystery of Jesus' life, for several years I have gotten very emotional when one of these holidays comes instead of feeling happy and excited. Most of this emotion is because these occasions are not like I remember as a kid, and the sweet memories of past holidays make the present harder, and part of the emotion is due to the fact that I always build my hopes up too high. I want these days to be perfect and to always feel great, and that is unreasonable and impossible. Though holidays and big life events are wonderful things to celebrate, some of the happiest times I have experienced in the past several years have been seemingly ordinary days full of simple pleasures and sweet moments, such as times I spent with my friends and loved ones, laughing, talking, playing games, enjoying a beautiful day in nature or just being together. Other very happy times have been days that I spent riding my horse in the pasture, or brushing his soft coat while he nuzzled me and puffed sweet breaths on my cheek. Other sweet times have been times spent with children, reading books to them, tickling them, snuggling with them, or watching them play and run around. Many of the things that give me the greatest happiness and contentment are not fancy parties, expensive material things or big occasions. I don't need to go to a fancy restaurant or an exciting trip to be entertained, happy, excited or satisfied. I feel happy just being near someone I am close to, who understands and loves me. Seeing their smile makes me happy or feeling their arms around me and their heart beat against me when they hug me. I feel peace flowing into my soul when petting the soft fur or feathers of a pet, looking up at a beautiful tree, reading a good book, or watching a butterfly or bird fly about on a gentle wind. Some people crave noisy, crowded brilliant excitement at parties, clubs or occasions. Some people don't feel happy unless they travel frequently, and others desire new clothes and shoes and don't feel satisfied till they are wearing them. But I am a person who loves calm, quiet pleasures. For me, it's often the things that seem most simple, that make me happiest.