There is a quote by Art Buchwald, he says “The best things in life aren’t things.”

I have found that this is so true about life. Although I love to cook and bake delicious foods, I would rather spend an hour taking a walk with my daughter, listening to her silly made up songs and having her ask me a million questions about life.

This one time we were out on a morning walk and the moon was still up. When she noticed, she started giggling and asking me how come he was still up. I explained to  her that he must have eaten too much candy and he couldn’t sleep. We laughed forever about that and now whenever we see the moon still up in the day she remembers how he ate too much candy.

I also love the profound things that she comes up with on walks. When we were out on a windy day one time, she says to me “when the wind blows, the trees talk.” So on windy days we have conversations about what we think the trees are saying. Now that it is Fall, the trees are not talking so much though.

Sometimes, when it is windy, she gets really mad at how hard it is to bike and I have to make up stories about the wind to keep her going. I explain to her that the wind only wants to come out and play. Most days the wind is not allowed to come out and play, so when it does, it goes crazy. She loves to hear these little stories and I love the sound of her sweet giggle and those precious times we spend together.

I find that life is so much more worthwhile when I can put a smile on someone’s face or encourage or inspire someone. When I know that my life is having a positive affect on others, that is when I am truly happy.

What are all these ‘things’ worth anyway? What do we gain by constantly seeking to be somebody or have so many material possessions? In the end, we all die, but do we ever truly live?

Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down and take a moment to remember to not be so serious. The house cleaning will still be there for me after I take the time to help Autumn read her stories and the laundry can wait until after a nice long walk. If I take a week off of running, it will not be the end of the world and if I don’t get to cook every meal, we will not starve.

When I take that time to be in real life and remember what truly matters, I am a much happier person and when I stop trying to be like everybody else and instead be me, that is when I am the most inspiring.

There is another lesson I really need to learn and that is to relax. Today I plan to take it easy and enjoy those perfect moments in life that are all around me. I have been so busy trying to do everything lately that I have forgotten the importance of rest.

I wanted to end this post with some lyrics from Jack Johnson’s song,  Inaudible Melodies.

Slow down everyone
You’re moving too fast
Frames can’t catch you when
You’re moving like that

Relax and enjoy the non-things of life! 🙂