Definition Of Paradise

Sore muscles, early mornings, long days, dirt tans, a perfume of exhaust, and the sound of dirt bikes still ringing in my ears. That is my definition of paradise. Not only is it my definition of paradise, it’s the paradise I live. However, for years I thought a paradise was what I now know is a dream. I always thought paradise was the sunsets with palm tree silhouettes, waves crashing on the beach, the laughter of your friends, and a nice, cold lemonade. After a little thinking, I was able to see that paradise isn’t something crazy and extravagant. Your paradise may look simple to an outsider, but is something really meaningful to you. Thanks to spending the weekend with my grandparents a few years back, I was able to figure this all out.

I sat there with my baby sister playing peek-a-boo. Out of the blue he said, “What is your paradise?” I thought about it for a second and then told him all about my paradise, “It has sunsets with the silhouettes of palm trees, waves crashing against the beach, and some cookies with lemonade.” My grandpa told me how nice that was and then decided to share his paradise, “My paradise is waking up early on nice summer mornings, watching the sun rise as I pick fruit out in the orchard, and then heading inside to enjoy some hand picked fruit with your grandma.” I agreed on how nice that is, but that was the end of our conversation. I continued to play with my sister, but I started to think about the difference of our paradises. My grandpas paradise was something he lived and loved. Through my thinking I was able to see that mine was my dream