Room For Happiness

Joey and I just returned from Naples, Florida, where we stayed in a small, cozy Airbnb with the water right in front of us. Smaller homes surrounded us, though larger houses were beginning to change the neighborhood.

One morning at Starbucks, the woman ahead of me was telling the cashier about her oncology appointment later that day. The cashier shared that she was a cancer survivor. I mentioned my brother Jonathan, whom we lost to cancer. For a moment, we found common ground in something deeply personal.

Later, the woman joined us in conversation outside. She was 77, a breast cancer survivor and full of life. When I mentioned that I would soon turn 66, she offered some advice: Do what you want now. Don’t wait. There’s a big difference, she said, between what you can do at 66 and at 77.

She also suggested we drive past some of Naples’s waterfront mansions. We looked in awe at enormous homes on expansive properties facing the Gulf. My practical mind went straight to the maintenance costs.

We picked up Asian food and returned to our cozy, 1,000-square-foot rental. We had a water view, too.

At a nearby park, we took Bailey for a walk. Hispanic men played soccer, laughing and enjoying themselves. Parents watched their children at the playground. I loved the mix of nationalities, the activity and the pleasure people found in an ordinary afternoon.

Before heading home, we visited the Naples Botanical Garden, enjoying its beauty and the friendliness of the people.

What stayed with me most was that woman’s advice. We’d spent a few days enjoying each other’s company, meeting people and taking in our surroundings. I came home grateful we’d made the trip, and thinking about what else I might be putting off.