Faith in Humanity Restored

Yesterday, Sunday, Zack and I went out to run a few errands, nothing exciting just getting odds and ends.  On the way home I asked him if we could stop and check out a local park.  We've lived here for a year now and keep saying we should stop by, but just never did.  So, we drove around a bit, then parked and took a little walk around.
Now, I don't know if you are like me but the large majority of the time I'm pretty disenchanted with humanity.  No one is very polite anymore, cars cut you off every time you're on the road and just the general jackassery of people.  I know I complain about encounters out in the world a lot more than I say "what a lovely time I had at WalMart.".  Which makes me feel negative and I hate being "Negative Nelly" all the time. So, yesterday was exactly what I needed.
As Zack and I walked around the park we realized we were probably the only people there without kids.  There were pavilions full of birthday parties and family gatherings. Balloons were tied to the end of picnic tables, the smell of grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and the happy shrieks of children from the slides and swings filled the air.  We stopped on a little bridge overlooking a stream and as an elderly gentleman passed us he jokingly told us not to jump in (it was maybe a 5 foot drop into about 2 inches of water).  Further down the stream I could see older kids hopping across the stones.
We kept walking until we came to a little train that kids can ride as it's driven around a track.  On a bench near the train platform there was a family taking a picture.  Dad and his two young teenagers (son and daughter) sat while mom told them to smile.  They were all laughing and the dad kept poking or tickling the daughter so she couldn't sit still or stop laughing.  She kept jumping up and yelling "dad, stop it!" but you could tell they were all having a really good time.
I felt a little weird just standing and staring at this family, but it was just so fun to watch.  I was living vicariously through them for a few minutes.  Remembering the fun I had at our park with my family when I was young and wishing I had my own kids to make memories with.  It made me happy, nostalgic, sad and hopeful all at the same time.
On our way out of the park I saw a little boy fishing with his dad, little kids running from one plaything to the next and parents looking exhausted.  Regardless of how crappy things can be at times there really is so much happiness in simple things.  Beyond money woes, crappy jobs, or any other bad experiences sometimes you're just struck by how lovely life can be.  I really need to remember that more.