What Happens When The Plastic Horse Is No Longer Good Enough?

She didn’t even care. And I’m certain she never even thought about it. It looked like fun, especially the ones which moved up and down.

Behold the world through the eyes of a six year old.

Going through some old photos, I found a picture of my daughter at an amusement park from a few years back. There she was, with a smile from ear to ear, her eyes as wide open as they could possibly be. She was holding on tightly to the brass-colored pole which connected the plastic horse to the mechanism which allowed it to go up and down.

When it comes to exciting amusement park rides, the carousel pales in comparison to the more modern gravity-defying, vomit-inducing rides. But there she was. In the moment. Fully present. Simply enjoying the ride. Never comparing the carousel to any other ride in the park.

Six years of age is a wonderful age. Because at age six we haven’t yet let comparison come along and tell us how much better the present moment could possibly be. And when we do “learn” the present moment could be much better it allows what we are currently doing to be no longer good enough.

Comparison, it has been said, is the thief of joy. It’s a truth I’ve learned first hand, wasting my own countless current moments in search of “better” current moments and never quite finding them.

How often in our adult lives do we let what could be undermine the joy of what already is? There are so many reasons to be happy right now if we just allow ourselves to see them. As they already are. Right now.

It’s a shame when we grow up and think ourselves out of our own happiness.

Daily life is like that merry-go-round. For the most part the view never changes.

Can we find joy in such a repetitive space?

As humans we are free to find joy or misery in just about any moment.

The choice is up to us.

Choose wisely.

It’s a great day to be you!