I’ve got a peaceful, easy feeling, I know you won’t let me down. ‘Cause I’m already standing on the ground. – written by Jack Tempchin (and recorded by The Eagles)

They say you can never go home again, and maybe that’s true if one’s return is meant to be long-term. Home, now, is not the same place you left. Things–and people–are always changing, and we are, too. But it’s still possible to go back home for a visit and have a really good time just the same. I know; I just did.

We took our seven-year-old granddaughter to St. Louis for a few days. Rather than impose on my brother and sister-in-law and stay at their house (though they’d love for us to), we usually take our RV and have been doing so for the past ten years. St. Louis RV Park is only one of a handful of RV parks anywhere near a major metropolitan city, and it’s the only one I’m aware of that’s within walking distance of the downtown district. It’s been there for more than 30 years, and it’s hiding in plain sight. A lot of native St. Louisans don’t even know it’s there.

We visited relatives, did some touristy things, went to a Cardinals’ baseball game, shopped at the brand new Ikea, and ate out a lot. She loved it all and, as precocious as she is, she garnered a lot of attention from the relatives, especially the ones meeting her for the first time. And she got to be an ‘only child’ for awhile, since her older brother stayed home because of scheduled baseball games.

So when the trip was winding down and we were getting ready to head back home, I asked her what she liked most about the trip. Her answer blew my mind.

She said it was “hanging out with us in the mornings.”

Really??? Is it actually possible for a child to enjoy lazy mornings–cuddling and talking in bed, sipping Capri Suns, not being in a hurry to go out and do something? Apparently so.

I can’t stop thinking about her answer, and I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe “contentment” IS what the hokey pokey’s all about. After all, contentment is being satisfied with how things are. It’s being relaxed. It’s being grateful. It’s that peaceful, easy feeling.

Who wouldn’t love that?

It seems like a lot of people these days are searching for whatever it is they think will make them happy, and while I wouldn’t dare profess to know the ‘how’ of being content, after this trip I know one thing for certain: a big part of it is just being fully present and in the moment.

With so many distractions vying for our attention throughout the day like emails, texts, and social media, this isn’t easy. But I challenge you to unplug and try it. I think you’ll be quite pleased–and perhaps like me, downright amazed–at what happens when you do.