The restorative effects of vacation almost can't be overstated. After a week in Vermont and a week in Vancouver, I feel refreshed and at least a little refueled. Reminded of the value of a hard stop every now and then, and of laughter. Which brings me back to Vancouver, where my favorite piece of public art adorns a corner of Stanley Park on English Bay. 14 bronze sculptures of a man laughing. Simple. A little silly. But it makes me feel good every time I visit and, now that I've been there a few times, every time I see a photo of it. The inscription around the base of one of the cement benches that ring the artwork: "May this sculpture inspire laughter, playfulness, and joy in all who experience it." Yup.
