Simple Things

Spending Time on Beach

Americans spend billions of dollars each year consuming their way trying to become happy.  Judging by our stress levels associated with our debts, I think its safe to say that for most happiness is illusive at best.  Yet as complicated as the pursuit of happiness sounds, it seems obvious that to achieve happiness,  its rather simpler than we might imagine.

Daytona Beach Boardwalk

Early this week, my wife and I spent time with my two sisters and my parents in Florida.  We celebrated my mother's 90th birthday twice, once at home and at a local restaurant.  It was all time well spent.  We didn't do complicated things.   My siblings and I decided to also spend some time at Daytona Beach to heal from our stresses and to reconnect.

Simple Pleasure

It turned out to be fantastic fun.  We walked on the beach, listened to the waves, watch the gulls and pelicans soar, families fish, and young people sun bathe.  We had an opportunity to become children again as we posed for pictures, laughed, and played with each with each other.  It was a prescription for happiness and joy.


As we walked on the boardwalk and approached the static beach carnival, my sister could not contain herself when she saw the soft ice-cream concession.  She left the pack and came back all smiles with her frozen temptation in her grasp.  I took my camera out and quickly captured her scientific approach to devouring ice cream.  Happiness was truly at hand.