I took this photo a few months ago at the Sheep Meadow in Central Park.  I was blown away at the size of this beautiful place; it covers 843 acres which is 6% of Manhattan.  I had come to visit my daughter and when she asked where we would meet the next day, I said Central Park.  But the park is so large it took a while for us to find each other.  I will never forget the moment when I finally spotted my daughters walking across this vast meadow.  I had went to the middle and laid in the grass, shut my eyes and attempted soaked in all the gorgeous sounds that filled this place.

                I could hear dogs barking, children laughing, people playing football, Frisbee, flying kites and yoga.  All around me there were people enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze of this day.  Then I spotted this small child and all I could do was smile.  His dad would throw his small football and he would laugh and chase the ball.  Once he caught up with this awkward shaped ball he would run around in circles until he collapsed from exertion and laughter.  The child would then look at his father with a look that said, you cannot take this ball from me now.  Then his dad would fall on him and steal the ball and throw it again; much to the little boys delights.

                Thinking back to this scene I do not believe they could have enjoyed anything like they did this simple game of full contact football (Of course the only contact was when the child collapsed from giggles and laughter).  Somehow somebody has convinced us that to have “Real” fun we must plan a week’s vacation at Disney world.  They tell us that if you want to be really happy you need expensive toys, exotic destinations, and make extravagant plans.  And the sad thing is, we believe them.

                Whatever happened to picnics and quite walks in the woods or just sitting in the yard talking to an old friend?  We need someone to remind us that the best things in life are still free.  But, I guess we are just too busy to stop and enjoy this amazing gift of life while we have it.  Our riches have made us so Poor that we cannot enjoy the simple things of life.  We have become so smart and sophisticated that we have forgotten how to enjoy what we have been given.  It is not the quantity of our possessions, but how much we enjoy what we have that determines how rich we really are.  Today let us cherish all our happy moments and realize that happiness is a choice.

Something to think about:

• Those who chase happiness run away from contentment.

• Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.

• Happiness is not in doing what one likes, but liking what one has to do.

• Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.

• Don’t hurry, don’t worry. You’re only here for a short visit. So be sure to stop and smell the flowers.

• For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.  Beware of the barrenness of a busy life.

• If you are losing your leisure, look out! You may be losing your soul.

• Too busy to be happy? Then you are too busy to enjoy life.

Enjoying the journey
Rickey Moore