Friday, December 18, 2009

Are You Having Fun Yet?

On Our Way To MSG To See ND
Have y'all seen the latest survey? It lists the states in which the "happiest" and"most miserable" of us live? Who, exactly, is surveyed in a survey? In my lifetime, I've never been asked to participate in one. Have you? Had someone asked...

... I'd have let it be known that I Love New York. The variety in our state is surpassed by none, from the tip of Long Island to the Falls of Niagara. In between, we can beach it, hike it, culture it, you name it. Self-inflicted misery can be found in any state. After all, the old cliché does say, "Home is where the heart is."

Now, descending from my soapbox, I'm here to admit that Number 2 (Why 2?), has a God-given edge. Hawai'i... land of my dreams, and where I was supposed to be placed upon birth, when locales were designated. Smile. Maybe the survey was conducted on Kaua'i, my island of choice; you think?? I recall asking Hawaiians of many different backgrounds, "What does living in such a breathtakingly beautiful place mean to you?" Responses were always almost identical - nearly wordless - as hands were swept across land and seascapes, and expressions of joy were felt. Not one person wanted to leave the Islands... many had never even ventured beyond their shores. Each understood the Gifts Of Nature. It was incredible to witness the purity of such appreciation.

Back to my reality, New York. It's not wicked, at all; it is simply misunderstood. Furthermore, we all "... have sweated beneath the same sun, looked up in wonder at the same moon..." ND. It's just a matter of recognizing our gifts, right? Even on a day like today, when the temps are sub-zero and the sun is not to be found under its cloud cover...
Sigh.

Here's to finding beauty, wherever it lurks!

Up Early To Catch The Hawaiian Sunrise