my 
my time spent with friends
brought in the light yesterday
even when it rained.
—
“i had the epiphany that laughter was light, and light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe.”
-donna tartt, the goldfinch
—
image credit: cgtn
hope tree, karin zeller
———
buddhist philosopher daisaku ikeda wrote this insightful look at the nature of happiness in his essay collection, “Hope Is a Decision.” ikeda spent 50 years writing the essays in the book. they all relate in some form to the nature of hope, and how we can take it upon ourselves to maintain it, even during tumultuous times. consider it a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you choose to be hopeful, you will be. just like if you choose to try and make others happy, it will increase your own happiness. and, as ikeda also notes in his essay, those choices will “illuminate our final years with dignity.”
when you’ve had a very long and busy week
and you get a text that reads:
“great news! your adult pinata headband has been delivered.”
and just like that
your world flips and rights itself in an instant.
—
“being happy never goes out of style.”
-lilly pulitzer
haezel who woke up at 4 am to milk her cow and taught us how to make cheese from it,
made pastry and coffee with us, and who also helps the local community and school children
enthusiastic fellow hikers
our wonderful guide who led the way, was endlessly patient, never let us get lost,
and shared his knowledge of the country and its nature, stories, history, and spanish with us
along with our talented and very funny driver who navigated incredibly challenging roads
with the owner of a local medicinal plant and food organic farm
who also shared her homegrown sugarcane liquor
called ‘moonshine’ or ‘contraband”
toasting new friends
observant hikers
fellow traveler crew
costa rican cowpokes
breaking bread (and lots of beans and rice) together
sharing our day
boat adventurers
a shy boy and his rooster.
—
such memorable people all.
i loved meeting strangers who became friends.
the costa ricans were some of the most positive people i have ever met.
—
“it is good people who make good places.”
-anna sewell, british novelist
a mathematical law that makes sense to me.
—
“happiness is something that multiplies when it is divided.”
-paul coelho
how lucky am i to find this downtown, on a walk on a beautiful day?
—
“i’m well aware. a world without rainbow sprinkles is a world without happiness.”
-l.m. augustine
two of the six-pack of grandies finding their balance.
—
“we’ve just learned how to balance ourselves a little better
so that we’re happier way more of the time than not,
and,
you know,
being happy is a radical and desirable act if you ask me.”
-anthony kiedis, red hot chili peppers
so fun surprising my friend who loved being surprised fully embracing the moment
“the moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. it is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.”
-ashley montagu, british/american anthropologist
one of my grandies saw that a tiny piece of glitter
had made its way
onto a big piece of birthday cake
that had come from
a sealed and wrapped bakery package
and noted:
“somehow, whenever you are around us, there is always glitter.”
that made me so happy.
—
“glitter is my makeup of choice.”
-kesha
I didn't have my glasses on.... 