It seems sometimes that I am always running to catch up with life. Work, home, school, trying to live a healthy lifestyle – next thing I know months have passed by. What have they been filled with? Did I stop to capture a memory in my mind or savour that cup of coffee amidst all the business? The joy is there to be found, if I make the time to enjoy the here and now instead of always waiting for some imaginary moment that may or may not ever arrive.

We all know happiness isn’t found in things. Money can’t buy it. It isn’t hereditary – just because you are born into a certain family does not mean you can or cannot have happiness. It isn’t connected to intellect and cannot be sought after in libraries or universities. I think happiness is a choice.

So all that being said, I want to enjoy the here and now. Yesterday I was thinking that summer is just about finished and my plans of enjoying a Saturday morning coffee outside didn’t occur as often as I would have liked, so I seized the moment. All the things that needed to be done, nothing was life or death and couldn’t wait half an hour. They would still be there waiting for me when I came back to them. So I loaded up my devotional, breakfast, and cup of coffee and headed for a chair I had set in the middle of my garden back in June for this very purpose.

The birds were chirping, the air was a refreshing wash of coolness, and several morning glories were lifting their little faces towards the morning light. In my devotional was a perfect scripture to go with my thoughts: “In returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). Making a little time to savour the moment and take notice of the blessings of life around me set a good foundation for the remainder of my day.