Is my corner of the world the best place to live? Definitely. The best place to be is with family and friends. When we surround ourselves with kind, beautiful people in give-and-take relationships, we can all live in the best place in the whole wide world.
Especially when we are trying to survive in this strange disconnected world since COVID, it seems like we are all struggling to find places of connection and well-being. I find when I take the time to enjoy the simple things of life, my heart is full and I am content. I can be a blessing to others and receive the blessings that they bring to me.
The best of times are happening all around us as we create meaningful experiences. Recently, I went to drop off some yard sale finds and some lunch stuff to my daughter’s house. The grandkids came flying out the door and greeted me dressed up and ready for a parade. One was a flag-waving American patriot, there were a couple of winged fairy dancers and a cheerleader.
As the children and I perused the new books from the yard sale, their mother made us a yummy fun meal, complete with lace tablecloth and home-grown flowers. We also were engaged in valuable lessons about sharing toys and feeling good about other people enjoying them, not just ourselves, as all the children wanted to take a turn on the swirly wand blinking-light thingamajig.
As we sat under the sun umbrella, I then read the beginning of Tom Sawyer and the white washed fence using appropriate “voices.” Even the baby was having a good time laughing. The wind rustled in the tall evergreens. Birds soared and chickens clucked. Flowers swayed in the breeze. Everything seemed to dance and sing, happy to be alive.
Then we played hide-and-seek, while mama took a rest. We went inside after awhile and the eldest grand rocked the littlest to sleep while they read about ships at sea, the others took naps or got lost in their own story books.
Grandma slid out the door and drove off in the brilliant sunshine, under a summer-blue sky, thankful for all of this.
Ahhh, these are the (best) days of our lives. Home is the best place to be. It truly is where the heart is full and at rest where each person can thrive, giving and receiving love.
