This week Awesome Stories brings you fantastic frogs, magic mushrooms, solar flight, blessings, love and angelic singing.
Fantastic Frogs
Photographer Wil Mijers loves nature and particularly micro shots of frogs. Look at these wonderful images.
Magic Mushrooms
I love what Ecovative is doing. They’ve won wards for their unique products and mission to transform products to be sustainable and healthy for people, planet and profits. Ecovative “grows” their products from agricultural waste bound into forms with mycelium, a type of fungi. So far, they’ve grown packaging materials, insulation, car parts and surf boards from their patented, certified Cradle to Cradle products. Far out!
Hallelujah Trio
This trio of kids blew me away with their beautiful rendition of Hallelujah.
Too Much Happiness?
We might have gone too far in worshipping positive states. New studies are showing that challenges and negative emotions can actually help us. I agree with Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Ph.D. that there is too much emphasis on happiness and positivity. This article points to a number of negative side effects like more narcissism, depression, less independent thought and biasing our cultural values. Read this thought provoking article and then tell me what you think. Personally, I’ve stopped chasing happiness and self development, with more focus on being, enjoying and living. What’s your plan?
Slow Down and Savor Life
Here is a beautiful poem that reminds us to take time to slow down, rest our minds and bodies, and return to our essential selves. A Blessing For One Who is Exhausted by John O’Donohue, from “Blessings”
Solar Flight 
Bertrand Piccard has been dreaming about flying without fossil fuels for years. The Swiss psychiatrist has become an aeronautical adventurer who plans to take his dreams to the air with the world’s first around-the-world solar flight. He and his partner have been working on this for 11 years with the launch of Solar Impulse II expected next spring. The solar plane is designed to be able to fly day and night without any fuel for extended times. His TED Talk is very inspiring, not only for the technology, but the message of following your dreams and passions. He talks about the need for pioneering, courage, perseverance and moving beyond the unknown in order to reach your dreams in life. And his primary goal is to show the world what can be done with solar and renewable energy.
Dancing with Light
This is a stunningly beautiful dance video. It’s amazing to me how well they choreographed and integrated the light show with the dancing so that it looks as though they are dancing with light. Enjoy!
What’s wonderful in your life? Inquiring minds want to know. XD
writing to freedom 
The company using fungus to grow sustainable products was really cool, Brad. I remember when I first read Cradle to Cradle, how it inspired me. I think there is huge untapped potential in the natural world.
I also liked what you said about happiness. When I followed the link, I saw the author was encouraging us to avoid what I might call a “shallow happiness”, to be sure we are not denying the places our lives confront grief, sadness, uncertainty, longing, etc. For me, there is another type of happiness out there a little different than the “stay positive” happiness, what I might call a “deep happiness” simply to create a distinction. That is what comes after or through our encounters with all of these various feeling states, when we integrate them and accept them and then find our way to authenticity and genuine contentment. The happiness that comes from avoiding states within us is ephemeral and at some level perhaps, inauthentic. I think the author is right about that.
Thanks for another batch of great stories!
Michael
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Hi Michael, thanks for very thoughtful comments. I agree about the huge potential in nature, as with the whole biomimicry movement! You expressed a beautiful sense of deeper, authentic happiness which I tend to call peace, as when we are accepting and integrating the whole shebang! Thanks for sharing your wisdom and deep happiness here. XD
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Brad!!!! I LOVE THIS POST!!! First off…The little frogs are amazing! They remind me of the sculptures “The Frog Man” does (can’t come up with his name but he is known by that.) And the singing…it gave me chills…so amazingly beautiful!! The dancing with light…yes!!! All of it…I think my favorite!!!!!! Blessitude
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Thanks Lorrie! I love your enthusiasm. 🙂 The frogs and photos are amazing to me too, and make me ponder getting a good camera so I can revive my passion for photography. This week’s stories are pretty awesome. XD
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Yes…and yes…and yes!!! I have also thought about reviving my passion for photography…but my little phone does pretty well…AND I DON’T HAVE THE TIME…not to mention I remember the days of lugging cameras and lenses everywhere!!!
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That’s funny, those are my same hesitations! 🙂
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Brad, this is one of the best posts I’ve read anywhere. A wonderful collection of stories, programmed just right: for the heart, soul, mind and senses. Expands our world in different ways. Thank you!
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Wow, thanks Cynthia. With all these compliments, I’m going to get a big head. XD Luckily I can channel it to an appreciation for you and others who support my blog and the beauty that’s in the world. Part of why I do this is to remind myself to keep looking for the beauty and good in people and the world. blessings, Brad
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Excellent.
Grace to you.
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Thanks!
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Yes, the pressure of happiness can lead to greater suffering. A range of emotions is the human experience, it is in re-training your brain not to dwell in thoughts that do not serve you that allows more joy in. In my humble opinion anyhow.
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Hi Lisa, you spoke exactly to my challenge with the happiness movement, not that I mind being happy! 🙂 For me, integration, acceptance and allowing a full range of emotions to flow works better. Thanks.
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I never heard of The Voice for Kids before. That was just incredible, WOW!
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Me either, but luckily it was shared with me. 🙂
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Hi Brad! Ahh, the happiness dilemma. As with many life facets, a little balance can help keep the blend or the mix (between up and down emotions) in proportion. Too much of anything tends to shift perceptions and outcomes. So the author’s perspective has some merit! And I suspect Wilbur and Orville are cheering Mr. Piccard on. His work and imminent launch was/is inevitable. After all, fossil fuels are finite. Good on him for pursuing his passion!
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Hi Eric, your perspective on balance is interesting. I’ll add that to my list! Funny that I first read your comment last night while tired and was trying to figure out why you’d be cheering on Mr. Picard of Stark Trek fame! XD Sleep is good. Thanks for caring.
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Thank you for the amazing blog. The kids honored the Leonard Cohen song.
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Thanks John, Sometimes, the searching and writing flow better as you know being a writer too. Yes, they were wonderful. Thanks for sharing, Brad
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