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Jack Ricchiuto posts some thoughts on happiness to which I responded with some of the following in his comments:

The greatest gift I can give my children is being with them.

Two days ago I spent two hours with my two year old son during which I said nothing. I simply sat on the grass with him, at his eye level and played whatever he wanted to play. I expressed no desires or needs of my own, I imposed no agenda on him. We laughed together and when our wrestling got out of hand and he got hurt I held him on my lap and placed my hand over the ear he mashed when he fell to the ground. He fell asleep on my lap and that is where his day ended. I sang to him and took him inside to bed.

My son offered me the gift of his presence, his joy and happiness and utter abandon of being a child. Children are our most precious dharma teachers.