Green Spaces, the Secret to Happiness?

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Look at the faces of the children in this picture. Look really closely. This is not a random clipart photo found on the internet. These are our students here at CECI. Tell me if you see any unhappy, frustrated, misbehaving faces. Are they sitting inside? Behind a desk? Behind a computer? The emotions that pop into my mind are joyfulness, happiness, freedom, excitement. Who wouldn't want those emotions in their children. Or in themselves? Recent studies have found that people who are in "green spaces" tend to have increased mental health, decreased depression and anxiety, lower rates of obesity as well as lower incidences of chronic diseases. Who wouldn't want that too? We, as an example to our children, need to unplug and get outside with our children and enjoy the green that is all around us. So I challenge you all today, leave your phone inside and go for a walk, a run, a shuffle if that's all you got. Then stop. Look around you. Close your eyes. Listen. Smell. Notice the little things like that anole flashing you his colorful underthroat, the clackty clack clack of the Casa Ybel Resort bridge, the call of a nearby bird, maybe even the howl of a coyote. Sometimes to find that true feeling of joyfulness, happiness, freedom and excitement all you need to do is to stop. Then again, you may just need to run through a nearby green space with a bunch of friends and laugh. Be the face in this picture. Enjoy life. Smile. Laugh.