Sometimes, There's No Place Like Home

That's the Pacific in the distance...

Last Saturday (a week ago now, I guess--man where has the time gone??), I made some time for a run.  It was not my fastest run nor my longest, but it was a good run.  Because it was such a beautiful day, I came home, went up to my balcony, and snapped this picture.

Even with headphones on, running gives me plenty of time to think.  I'm becoming more comfortable with that.  Sometimes I solve big problems.  Sometimes I solve little ones.  Sometimes, I have no answers whatsoever, but that's okay.

One of the things that I found myself thinking about during this run was that I live in Paradise.  I'm lucky to live where I do.  And I'm grateful for that.

I'm glad that I don't have to fly half way around the world to visit Paradise.  (Even though that would be really fun.  And there are a few places that I can think of that I'd like to visit!  =o)

But I think Paradise can be a state of mind.  Even though I live in a beautiful part of the world, I've come to the point in my life where I think I could live just about anywhere.  For example, I feel like I'm in Paradise when I come home and my kids yell "Daddy!" and come and jump on me and give me big hugs.  I also feel like I'm in Paradise when I look at E. (my little girl) and see her smile and get a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Winsome"

I also feel like it's Paradise to be in the presence of family and friends that care about me.  And I've been blessed to be part of an incredible family and have some amazing friends.  I hope I'm as good of a husband, dad, brother, son, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend as my family and friends have been to me.

I consider my home a Paradise--no matter where it is--because of my family.  And no matter where I travel, I'll always feel like there's no place like home.