It is that time of year when the days are finally starting to grow longer. Five o’clock and the sun is still out. You can hear children playing outside, birds chirping, and the hum of cars in the distance. I stand on my deck to soak up those last minutes of sun shine. The air is cool and fresh; as I breathe it in it clears my head, but even more, it clears away the foggy thoughts. There is clarity from this point coupled with a sweet excited joy. I love these late afternoons.

People are coming home from work and families are reuniting. This is what you worked all day for: To come home, relax, slow down, and spend time with the people you love doing the things you enjoy. It really is quite worth it. I don’t kiss my wife as she gets home like in the movies, but she kisses me with her voice as she brightly says hello, as if totally happy to see me.

I take in this quiet moment because it makes me smile, it really makes me quite happy. Sometimes I wonder if one of the big secrets to happiness is just slowing down and breathing in deep. I am feeling good and don’t want this small moment to end. But now I smell barbecue emanating from somewhere nearby, and that gets me thinking….