As we lay down a blanket on the slick sandstone the stars began to shimmer. The Milky Way magically manifested itself among the fields of white light that now engulfed the full spectrum of the sky. “It doesn’t get better than this.” I thought, as another feeling of total contentment swept over my body. I lay there, literally star struck. Then something mysterious caught our eyes, a light brighter than all the rest. Flying out of the northern night, a half dozen meteors let glow their shining moment of glory as they were consumed by Earth’s atmosphere. A truly awe inspiring moment indeed.

This moment is one that will remain in the far reaches of my memory forever. We hadn’t planned on star gazing that evening, and within five minutes of arrival, one of the most epic of all cosmic events occurred. If you believe in the power of the Stars and Universe as I do, an event such as this truly “sparks” massive magnitudes of joy into life. It reminded me of what I see in myself when I meditate. A pure sphere of glowing light, wanting nothing more than to share its shining brightness with the world around it.

The most important thing in life is not getting what you want, but giving all you can. I forget that on a daily basis and try to remind myself of it often. As long as I follow that advice daily, that is all I require to be happy. This new years I wrote one word on a white stone, quarried from a mine in Jerusalem. This word was to be a guiding principle for the year to come, keeping me on course when I went wondering off the trail. That word, was “give”.

The next time your out and about, try a simple exercise. Give instead of get. It doesn’t have to involve money, it’s often more meaningful when it doesn’t. Hold the door for the person behind you, say hello to the cashier, go talk to that neighbor who lives alone, give hugs, smile at everyone who’s eyes meet your own. Strive to bring a hint of happiness to all you interact with. You don’t have to do much to make someone smile, but that smile might just be the best part of their day.