Happiness in Simple

We visited relatives today. They live in a town 5 hours away, near a river and the beach.

We arrived to a warm welcome, everyone greeting us with huge smiles. It's a huge group—siblings and cousins living next to each other, most of them with their own families.

They live a simple life. The town didn't have that many shops. There's the public market, a few inconvenience stores, and some small, local shops. You won't see condominiums and other buildings. Not many SUVs and pick-up trucks.

And I loved the visit. Their house isn't big, but it's enough. They have a nipa hut to the side of the house, where two guests can sleep. And they have garden will lots of plants, all probably edible.

We stayed on bamboo benches under mango trees. The air was fresh, and the sun's heat was more manageable in the shade.

It was an amazing stay.

And because they were such a happy bunch, it was also a reminder:

We don't need much to be happy.
We might find more happiness when we declutter our lives and live simply.