Happiness is ….

Soaking up the presence of an amazing hidden waterfall.

Receiving a gift from my sister that was chosen especially for me with loving thoughts and a generous heart.

Laughing so hard that my niece has to hold her ears. 

Snuggling with my fur babies while listening to Kenny G and Enya.

Eating the best pastalaya on the planet prepared by my brother-in-law.

Realizing that my sister-in-law cared enough about me and my interests to bring me a book on backpacking.

Drinking organic detox infusion herbal tea in my new Beijing Starbucks coffee mug hand-delivered by my brother from China.

Planning new adventures for the not-so-distant future.

Enjoying a live Christmas tree that I didn’t have to decorate and don’t have to take down.

 

Knowing that people like my brother are always working to preserve the natural world for posterity … one step at a time.

Realizing that I passed my brother and my nephew in the woods yesterday and was so smitten with the wilderness and my new friends that I totally didn’t notice.

 

Finding my tribe.

Being the kind of person that always believes my next adventure is just beginning and knowing in my soul that the next waterfall is just at the edge of my next footfall. 

Writing … and knowing the best readers in the world are reading it with open and loving hearts. 

Having a wonderdog who is a Facebook celebrity …..

Knowing that there are at least two more weeks of eggnog lattes.

Trusting that at this moment I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.