I know there is no guarantee of happiness in this world and yet sometimes it actually seems as elusive as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness monster. Don’t get me wrong, I am not an unhappy person, but still, there are days when I feel more content than happy. Not a bad feeling, certainly there are a lot worse conditions to be in than content, but what ever happened to those days of our youth when we were always happy...happy to get up and go outside to play, happy to be with friends, happy for all kinds of reasons.

Since moving to the Pacific Northwest I have been on a quest...searching for signs of “happy” in the world. There are plenty of signs to be found. We have found a new “happy place” at Cannon Beach. We love the local community, the artists, the restaurants, and especially the beach with its big “haystack” rocks. It is a beautiful place and we enjoy visiting as often as we can find time. On a recent trip with our grand children and their parents though, I realized that while I am quite happy to go there, it is the gentle tranquility that comes from the constant flow of the waves over the shore, the fresh air, the sound of the waves and the birds, the breeze that blows constantly, they all combine to give me a great sense of peace. I wonder if that feeling is the same as what I remember as happy….carefree.

While our son and daughter-in-law are in town we have been visiting many of the “landmarks” in the local area including the beautiful rose gardens. We have been there several times since coming to the area but we had never gone to the Japanese Gardens. Last week we did. In fact, these beautiful gardens may become my new favorite spot in town. There is something so serene about the sound of the gentle water falls and the sounds made by the bamboo water works that make the place almost magical. The pathways were tight or close but comfortable, the aesthetic of the entire space seemed to be reflected in the Zen garden with its raked rock waves andripples that makes this, too, a place of great contentment. I was very happy once again.

We took in several of the local waterfalls and hiking trails. They too were beautiful, quiet, and a source of...well, peace. At the end of each of these days I realized how much I need and enjoy not only the time with my children and grandchildren but also thetime spent in natural settings away from the hustle and bustle of city living. The chance to get back to a world where there is so much less stress and so much more quiet, and gentleness.

So, while I am enjoying these spaces and the pursuit of happiness that comes from visiting these places I am also reminded of the great joy and happiness that comes from the time with family...children and grandchildren. The time to just talk to my son who lives so far away, time with his beautiful wife, time with my two amazing granddaughters, the princesses Emma and Scarlet. In the larger context we are also spending time with our daughter and her husband who, while they live close by, are often busy with their own lives….and our grandsons who continue to amaze me and bring me great joy with every visit.

I would not want to avoid the trips the beach or the mountains or the gardens, they are amazing places full of serenity and peace and reminders of God’s presence in our lives. But I think I will always cherish the time with the grandchildren for the great "happiness" they bring, a sort of joy with life itself. We may pursue happiness in a variety of places, but when it comes down to it...it is often under our noses. Happiness is really most easily found and kept with the simple pleasures of time with family and friends. People who not only get us but make us. They understand who we are and love us for that but they also, somehow make us better people for the time they invest in making us incredibly HAPPY.

Emma, thanks for joining Buddy and I on our early morning walks. Reed thanks for sharing the wonderful science museum, Everett, your smile lights up any room and who doesn’t need a cheering section in the parking lot when they arrive, and Scarlet...you fill my life with great joy just watching you; you will go places my dear. Thanks to you helping me find real happiness and learn that it isn’t really that hard to find if we just open our eyes and hearts.