Joy is…a picnic in the park!

Here’s a little confession: I’m not great at being outside in nature. There, I said it.

Maybe it’s the writer in me — or the fact I was born in England — but I’m far more comfortable indoors, where I can control both the temperature and the bug life.

Sharni and Johnny, on the other hand, love it. Rain, wind, or the kind of heat that makes you fear for your own safety (otherwise known as an Australian summer) — none of it bothers them in the slightest.

And now that it’s spring, conditions are such that our joyful friends think they should be outside. All. The. Time.

Oh my.

So when they announced we’d be going to the park for a picnic, my first thought wasn’t, “Oh, how lovely.” It was, “I’m definitely getting bitten by ants. And I’ll probably sit on a worm.”

I must not have articulated this quite so clearly though, because before I knew it Sharni was assuring me they’d find the perfect spot to roll out the rug — a spot where no worms would be squished and no ants trampled.

She had mistaken my preoccupation with my own comfort for concern for the wellbeing of others. Bless.

And so it was, on a random September day, I sat with my cheerful friends Sharni and Johnny, munching on warm crusty bread, fresh grapes, and cheddar cheese, sipping apple juice through a paper straw.

Even I had to admit the weather was delightful — right in the sweet spot of the Goldilocks zone: not too hot, not too cold, but just right. And with Johnny’s constant wisecracking, Sharni’s sweet ability to laugh at all his jokes (funny or not), and (if you can believe it) the warm sun on my face… I really did enjoy myself.

I might even go so far as to recommend it to you too, if you’re in need of a little joy today.

Just know there will be ants. I was definitely lunch for a couple. But the worms kept their distance — so there’s that.

— Sam