"I like the way she walks up into the audience and dances," my mom explains. "The band plays fun music and Ellen dances with everyone."
"People clap and move to the music," my mom adds, as she On A Roll. "It makes me feel happy."
My mom is talking about Ellen DeGeneres.
"Ellen is a real good dancer," my mom adds with the conviction of her 87 years, most of them spent dancing in one style or another.
I know my mom misses dancing as she tells me this all the time.
She still slides her feet around to this CD and this one sometimes when I visit. I do my best to be encouraging.
Truthfully I am afraid my mom is going to fall and break a hip or something as that runs in our family.
"Lift your feet, Mom," I caution while Rod croons the old Sinatra songs.
I am pleased to no end that my mom feels happy when she watches Ellen dance around with the audience.
I am happy when my mom is happy.
Simple pleasures.
I like how people get happy when they watch other people having fun.
If folks are dancing and having fun I want to jump right in and dance, too.
It must be in my bones.
When I am traveling alone and want to find a happy place, I follow the people with small children.
Following families with young children will lead you to parks and playgrounds and kiosks selling ice cream and balloons and other inexpensive forms of entertaining.
Following moms with youngsters is also a useful method for locating public toilets.
In case you ever need that kind of information. In case you might not speak the language very well.
There is so much to do in Paris that many simple pleasure can be easily overlooked.
Sitting on whimsical columns might not make it to your To Do List if you are only in Paris for a day or two but if you need a peaceful place to rendezvous with friends, remember this courtyard.
A very convenient place, this courtyard. Cross over the Rue de Rivoli when leaving the Musee du Louve.
Walk down a narrow alley away from the crowd and Voila!
Tucked into a corner, a quiet retreat for locals and for foreign travelers alike, where we are happy just to be alive.
The courtyard is free and open all the time while the palace is off~limits as it houses the Council of State and other important governmental administrative offices.
I love sitting here, watching people. One column will certainly be just the right height for you.
But there is more happiness if you continue on...
If black and white striped stone columns of various heights make people smile, then playful water fountains lift them up to unimagined heights of joy.
Shiny reflective globes piled like mammoth marbles on an over~flowing platter.
Who could resist?
After the restfulness of sitting and the satisfaction of happy~people~watching, walk on through the cool archways.
Walk down the soothing arcade. Please take care to look down.
Take care to look up.
I do not want you to miss a thing.
Look into the shop windows for more shiny joy. Sparkle thrills everyone.
We are all crows looking for a bit of shine.
The narrow stores seem to open at different times on various days of the week. Clearly this is not a typical American Mall. No Starbucks in sight.
Thank goodness.
Yes, yes, yes. Keep walking down the tree~lined path.
Clearly you must trust me by now!
Have I ever steered you wrong? Not hardly.
This is the Jardin du Palais Royal where families gather for happy communion with nature, with art and with each other.
Instead of sitting on stripey columns, here the Parisians perch on crumbled up metal.
Aluminum foil balled up and tossed by a giant's careless hand, it seems.
All is fine and dandy for your soul if you sit on things that bear no resemblance to normal everyday chairs.
Like small children we long to sit on odd things and make them our throne.
Continue to follow the children.
In most countries we give our best to the babies and the best is what we all deserve no matter what our age.
Make your own parade behind the man pushing the baby.
Pet furry noses. Look into shiny orbs.
Sit on odd~shaped thingies.
A dose of fun at least once a day. One glass 3/4th filled with simple pleasure.
Everyday the entire world should dance with Ellen.
We should make our way up into the audience and clap and move to the music.
Because it makes us happy.
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PS---I have not gone missing.
I am happily wandering the green mountain area
in search of cider donuts, just so you'll know
and be jealous.
oh happy day!
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