There Was a Dragonfly in Maokong

And I took a photo of it.

It was nice seeing the wildlife thrive outside of the city. Outside of any city, really. I enjoyed getting away from the noise. The traffic, the people, the commotion. All of these merge into a loud and continuous white noise. I don’t realize how displeasing it is until I’m away from it, when I’m in the woods and I realize that I just feel…better. I feel free.

In the tranquility of Maokong, there was a dragonfly. And amidst the soft rustling of the wind through the trees, there was only the sound of my breath. And then my shutter. Nothing else.

Solitude

We have the word “loneliness” to express the pain of being alone.

And we have the word “solitude” to express the glory of being alone.

Itsukushima Shrine

A beautiful shrine built on piers above the Hiroshima bay. Its original construction began in the 6th century, according to Wiki. In front of the main shrine lies an enormous torii gate, standing by itself in the bay’s clear waters, approachable by foot during low tides. I could sit on the wooden pier for hours.

The Mission Objective

It’s the ultimate goal in life: happiness. We all want to be happy. The caveat is that we all define it differently.

I’ve heard people say that happiness is as simple as being loved and respected, but I disagree. Our idea of happiness changes many times throughout our lives and even throughout our days. It changes as we grow and mature. It changes with our mood.

It could be friendship when we’re lonely, food when we’re hungry, or laughter when we’re sad. It could be selfless. It could be selfish. It could include the suffering of others. It’s never one set thing, but a dynamic, ever-fluctuating combination of factors that contribute to one single result: “I am happy”.

For more, here are some recent related items that I found interesting:
The Scientific Power of Meditation

Ditching Your Commute is the Happiness Equivalent of a $40,000 Raise

The Purchases Most Likely to Bring You Joy

Tea Culture

I had recently discovered an appreciation for traditional tea that I’d never had. Compared to coffee, which has implications of higher energy and work output, tea promotes relaxation and meditation. As a chronic daydreamer and ponderer, I think I naturally lean more toward tea culture.

I relish the notion of sitting in a warm, quiet teahouse, deep in introspective thought about anything, everything, and nothing.