Monday, October 24, 2011

Traveling to and through Florida DAY THIRTEEN

We visited the perimeter of the happiest place on earth last Friday, that being Downtown Disney. The air was cool, the sun bright, the atmosphere Disneyesque, of course. We let the themes of Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas fill our heads with giddy thoughts as we moved from shop to shop where Minnie and Mickey can be found on every conceivable piece of merchandise, from trinkets and clothing to hand blown crystal. Ghirardelli satisfied our sweet tooth with a Rocky Road Sundae. The Grove City College Jazz Band interrupted the piped in music with astounding talent as we ate our treat by the sparkling lake where even the tiny birds between us and the water were manically happy.

Our last full day in Florida was spent with friends we've known since the sweet times in New Jersey. (Note: "the" sweet times; they were not all sweet times.) Those days are nearly two decades past. Much water under many bridges has rushed through all of our lives yet our friendship lives on. Our fellowship was joyful.

We said goodbye to Florida which never rained on us one day and whose temps were unseasonably mild and to our liking. We discovered a hint of nostalgia as we turned to leave. Who knows when we'll return to the happiest place on earth?

One important reminder lesson to me while in that place among palms and alligators and great flying birds: the happiest place on earth is only by choice of those who gather there. And that means, the happiest place on earth really can be wherever and whenever we choose.

1 comment:

AdaliaMusic said...

Great last sentence!!! Love you!