I went for a bike ride the other morning. I have a bike attachment so that I can take my dog, Sophie, with me without having to hold on to her leash. When we first get going on the bike Sophie takes off like a rocket and runs full speed for about 1/2 km and then we settle in to a rhythm.

It was a the first warm morning we've had in a while, i.e. no gloves necessary! I remember passing by a woman who was already out running, catching her eyes and giving her a smile, which she smiled back. There weren't any other people out, but I remember there not being any clouds in the sky. It was clear blue, and the sun was already hot on my face. I noticed the tulips people had planted in there yards starting to break soil. I could see Sophie's tongue hanging out of her mouth, making it look like she had a huge smile. I wasn't thinking about anything else except my ride around my neighbourhood, how happy Sophie was, and how beautiful it was out.

My daughter decided to go for a bike ride in the afternoon because it was still so nice out. When she got back she was telling me about her ride and what she saw; crappy drivers, loud neighbours, a guy ran a stop sign in front of her, another car followed too close, parents letting their kids run wild and people blasting their music that was annoying an older neighbour. We obviously had two very different experiences on our rides. 

I've noticed this between us a lot lately. Even in the car, I'm relaxed while going where I'm going. I let people merge in front of me, never really rushed. My daughter gets really easily offended; in all fairness, she's 17 years old and figuring shit out. I think we all went through a phase where everything and everyone sucked! Some people never grow out of that phase, though.

That's my point. Whatever our attitudes towards stuff outside of ourselves is, is probably a good indication of how we feel on the inside.

So, I'm focusing on the good, and just keep seeing more and more good things, and that makes me feel good. My daughter is seeing things that annoy her, that she doesn't like, that people suck, and that makes her feel like shit. If you want to get good things out of life, you'll have to start focusing on them.