Happiness is an elusive state of being but we never give up trying to define it. The country of Bhutan has gone a step further than the rest of us and defined “Gross National Happiness” and is building national policies around the concept. Which certainly makes as much sense as our fixation on how high our Gross National Product can/should be considering that its numbers give equal weight to the revenue earned through car sales AND through the medical, disability and death costs associated with car crashes.

Tingley Beach: 6:30am. I’m feeling good. Walking semi-briskly, just the slightest bit of chill in the air, it is calm with only people about who like to be up early, walk dogs, move their sleepy bodies and ride bikes. Feeling good.

Half hour goes by; I’m trying to think about what photos I can take that will indicate fall is almost here. Dying flowers…that works. And the ducks and geese are out in full force this morning. Their kids are all teens now, mostly ignoring parents while simultaneously mimicking their grown-up actions. I love these guys. Teenagers in the water fowl world are a sign of fall I’m thinking.

All of a sudden I realize I am happy. Happy is not the same as feeling good. Happy is…well, you know it when you feel it. One-part satisfaction about where you are in the moment; one-part calm; one-part anticipation; one-part rested; one-part invigorated and on and on it goes. That is happiness.

Here is the weekly Tingley Beach photo album: