THE beautiful brochure caught my at tention; there was a picture of a blue river, with villas on either side, and each villa having it’s own swimming pool. As I looked at it, I wished I had the money to buy one. “Look at this,” I said to friend, “How I wish I could spend the rest of my life here, no problems, no worries, just me, the river and fun!” The friend turned to me and said, “Bob when I travel on business, I like to talk to the taxi drivers who take me from the airport or station or bus stand to my hotel, or to a convention center, or to a restaurant.” “Sure, “I said, “I like to do the same, “ “ Taxi drivers,” said my friend, “are often immigrants with interesting personal histories and unusual cultural backgrounds. I ask them how long they’ve been in that city how they chose which city to live in, and what they like best about where they live. Of course, I also ask them for advice on good local restaurants and any special attractions they’d recommend to a visitor. I’ve had some great experiences on my travels, thanks to the advice of taxi drivers!” “On one trip about ten years ago, I was making conversation with the taxi driver, asking himmy usual questions about how he came to live where he lived. Then I asked him a hypothetical question: “If you could live anywhere in the world-and if money was no object-where would you live?” “Without hesitating even for a second, he replied, “I live in my heart. So it really doesn’t matter where my body lives. If I am happy inside, then I live in paradise, no matter where my residence is.” I looked at my friend and shook my head. “Bob,” he said, “It doesn’t matter where you live!” I felt humbled and a little foolish for my question. Of course he was right, happiness is an inside job. He had reminded me of something I already knew, but had forgotten. If you can’t find happiness inside yourself, you’ll never find it in the outside world, no matter where you move.Wherever you go, there you are. You take yourself with you. I am grateful for the wisdom that my friend shared with me. I took the brochure and tore it into tiny bits and threw it away, it didn’t matter whether there was a river or swimming pool or a villa to make me happy, I could be happy wherever I was as long as I was happy inside..!
