Life can be overwhelming as we try to keep up with the myriad of demands on our time and energy. And we often put much of that energy into things over which we have no control. One of the critical lessons of life is to enjoy the present moment. We are not to stress excessively about past events. And we are not to worry unnecessarily about the future. We must find happiness in today and in this very moment of today.

I appreciate my son James who often enjoys the moment, making an extra effort to find the fun, the joy and the good that exist at any given time. Sure, many will enjoy riding a kayak at some point in their life. But how many will ride a kayak in this manner — dressed to the hilt — just for fun?

Peace and serenity are gifts from God. They are not dependent upon the circumstances of our lives. Peace and serenity can be found in what appear to be unlikely situations, if we are in step with God’s mind and will. The calm, peaceful feeling from this image came from an unlikely setting– a holiday evening in the city of glitz, Las Vegas. We are eligible for God’s gifts even in those times and situations that make them seem unlikely.

It is easy to focus so much on the future that we miss the joys of the road we are traveling. Children and young adults often do a better job of “finding happiness along the way” than do adults who allow the pressures of life to blind them to many of life’s beauties. Recently we visited The City Museum in St. Louis. It is a fabulous venue with unending surprises in every nook and cranny of the building. Pictured is my energetic niece standing on the wall of a kaleidoscopic tunnel— a model example of “enjoying the moment.” May we take time to appreciate the simple vistas of today.