To be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars. 
To be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them.
To despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice.
To be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts. 
To covet nothing that is your neighbor’s except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners.
To think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends, and every day of Christ.
And to spend as much time as you can, with body and with spirit, in God’s out of doors. 
These are the little guideposts on the footpath to peace.
(Henry Van Dyke)
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I have always loved this poem. I took these pictures yesterday as I played creative hooky at the Conservatory of Flowers and the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park. The last two were taken on Mt Tam the evening before. Ah, the out of doors!
