It is often the little things in daily life that bring me pleasure.

Tuesday I was walking my dog at John Rudy County Park in York County. I try to take my dogs there daily because they love it. How do I know they love going there? It is easy to tell due to the big smile on their face. Napoleon and Jumper are Jack Russell terriers; I adopted them in Pine Grove from the Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA. Napoleon often has his head out the rear passenger side as I drive to our destination. The smile on his face is pure joy. Jumper isn’t one to hang his head out the window.

Often Napoleon will look at me as if to ask if we are going to the dog park. The 150-acre park in East Manchester Township has Canine Meadows, an off-leash area for dogs, a walking path and other amenities.

His enthusiasm is evident upon arrival, as he is pacing back and forth in the car. We got out of the car and he quickly went about his business. I don’t take him inside the off leash area, preferring to walk the trails. Sometimes as we walk, dogs run over and meet him at the fence. Napoleon often barks at them. Occasionally, I will sit on a bench and stare at the sky, taking in all nature has to offer.

When Jumper goes to the park, he also smiles. He seems to show his approval for the trip by marking his territory. He did so once 13 times. Not kidding. Tuesday I took him to Reservoir Park in York County. It is near York College of Pennsylvania, my alma mater. We were there for about 10 minutes because it was dark.

I’m listening to the song “Breathe No More” by Evanescence as I write this. Music soothes the soul. My favorite song is “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. I first heard the song in 2001 or 2002 in York City. Along with a motivating comment said by someone else, the song has inspired me to keep writing. If my sister would hear the song as she was riding in my car years ago, she would refuse to get in.

I recently bought a PlayStation 5. I also own a small Nintendo. I played video games a lot when I was a teenager. My favorite was Paperboy. The game features a boy on a bicycle throwing newspapers. I beat the game numerous times. I enjoy sports games on my PS5. I always pick the Philadelphia Eagles, my favorite team, when I play a football game. I also enjoy a game called Pure Chess.

I used to read seven newspapers a day years ago before the internet. Now the news is available by other means, mostly digitally. I bought a copy of The Washington Post at a local Giant store for $2 last week. It was more than 30 minutes of pure heaven. The front page was so worth the money.

During this time of unprecedented stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, my wish is you find those moments that bring you peace.