Simplicity

I lay here on the balcony of my thatched roof bungalow swinging ever so gently in the hammock that hangs from the rafters. I am in Pai in the northern mountains of Thailand. It is so beautiful here, if I were to Imagine heaven it would look like this. the crickets are buzzing and the river bubbles only a few meters away. Through the milky haze of the moon lit night I see the gentle rolling lines of the surrounding country side. its so quiet here life is so simple and slow paced.

We explored the back roads of the surrounding country side on our moter bikes today. we came upon a small village which was untouched by the local tourism industry. as we drove through the narrow main street children ran to greet us yelling, "Hello...Hello". The people seemed so happy and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to grow up in a place like this. To not know about north American culture, global warming or the war in Iraq . I thought to myself, "ignorance is truly bliss".

WE in north American culture put such wait and importance in being informed, busy and goal oriented that I think we have lost something. I think we have lost the ability to just be still and listen to the sounds of life around us. To hear the crickets not as an annoying sound that prevents us from sleep but instead as a glorious symphony created by God as therapy for the soul. I think it is a gift to be able to find joy and contentment in the little things in life. a goal that I am striving for on my travels.