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There are several types of natural phenomenon that interest me, natural occurences that to many seem trivial. For example, I find it extremely comforting to watch those tiny wisps of fire break from the flame. To me, these flashes of light which drift randomly and eventually disapate into thin air resemble flaming fairies.

I can remember going on camping trips with my family and being in a tranquil state of mind while watching the fire dance in the breeze. As I reflect to that time, I can still breath in the smell of melted sugar from the marshmallows that we’d roast on the ends of sticks that we found earlier that day. As Don Henley sings, “This was the end of innocence”, a place in time where the worries of the world were nothing more than figuring out how to intercept a stale progress report in the mail before your parents caught wind of the decline in your educational career.

Sometimes at night I love to shut off the television, or any electronic device that seems to affect my attention span and just listen to the noises outside; the crickets churping during summer evenings, the low hum of the wind passing through the stillness of the air or the gentle pitter-patter of rain as it falls just outside the window. As I get older, I realize the importance of simple rest or meditation, something I revered in my grandmother while growing up and yet never full understood until now.

Next time you feel swallowed by the fast-paced aspects of life in general, try taking some time out from your day, even if you only have a few moments to spare and just close your eyes and rest your mind. Afterall, happiness is a state of mind.