what happened?

yesterday at children's classes i noticed how one of the little girls always has a smile on her face. and by always i mean it. always. so.

i said to her "you always have a smile on your face, what makes you so happy?"

and she answered in her adorably shy voice "flowers."

(an arrow through my heart.)

"well its the first day of spring so you're going to see a lot of flowers huh?" and i pointed to the cherry blossoms above us.

"i like red and pink flowers."

the wind was mild that day and the porcelain petals of the cherry blossoms fell like snow.

she tried to pick the petals up from the cement, "they.... they're like snow" she said curiously, as though she had never connected the two in her life and suddenly her eyes got brighter and looked towards the sky her smile remaining.

"what else makes you happy?" i asked

"hugs from my mom."

the eyes began to swell. this beautiful child could teach the world what they've lost. finding immense and contagious joy in simple pleasures.

i asked again and again,

"ice cream"

"rainbows"

playing outside"

why is it that as we get older we lose this? suddenly joy is gained from spending something, or gained at another's expense.

i'm committed to finding joy in the simple things.

like the way the branches are dancing from the fluid yet gentle force of the wind.

or the crescendos in this song by coldplay, "glass of water"

the yellow daffodils in my living room

laying on a grass field and feeling all my troubles crawl away

the fellow tenants in my apartment complex who where swimming their post-final cares away in the pool.

it's a beautiful day. a very beautiful day.

happy New Year :)

a