Popping tar bubbles on Porter Road with my bare feet

A recent loss led me to ponder what's important in life as losses often do. However, the thing is that the person I lost (my niece, Karlea) didn't place importance on the same things as most people.

Neither do I.

Karlea saw and I still see life as a wonderful adventure, rather than a series of obligations and goals to be met. We never were into ticking off boxes or tallying our profits. That's why the most memorable times of my life and hers have been simple in nature.

Popping tar bubbles with my bare feet on Porter road was much more important an activity than anything I've achieved in my 61 years on this earth. In fact, it was the stuff my life is best defined by.

Like my niece, I have no need for the conventions of society. I'd much rather focus on experiencing the small joys of life.

Of course, neither Karlea nor I have ever achieved much of anything conventionally thought of as noteworthy or spectacular. So, I suppose some might say that the small things were all either of us had.

They'd be wrong. Simple pleasures are the best part of life.

This society we humans have created and these ridiculous standards we measure ourselves by, well, they completely miss the mark when it comes to our own mental well being.

There are so many people out there who could benefit greatly from popping tar bubbles with their bare feet on Porter road or engaging in some other such “useless” activity.

I envy Karlea, somewhat. Because while I'm left here to impart this and other unpopular pieces of wisdom to the largely non-receptive, brainwashed masses, she's likely off chasing rainbows in the next life.

She's free.

I'm going to miss my kindred spirit. Guess I'll have to teach someone else to pet bumblebees now.