My favorite moment in Monterey: Meeting the man playing guitar in the harbor.

Happy musician in Monterey.

The last morning of a recent visit to Monterey, I met a man playing guitar in the harbor. 

Everything about him was cool. 

First was the music he was playing, which drew me closer because it reminded me of Jimi Hendrix.

Second cool thing was the banana on his pile of dollars to keep them from blowing away.

When I knelt to leave some of my dollars, he said the fruit was not only practical, but put out in honor of someone no longer in the harbor.

Last, but also best, was the infectious grin he offered to everyone who walked by. To those who met his eye he offered a friendly, “How’re you doing?” To those who asked how he was, he said, “Just loving life.”

That was very cool.

And he kept smiling even as we talked about how I could now only afford to visit the area I used to call home.

“That’s why I’m doing this,” he said, patting his guitar. “Three thousand dollars a month for rent!”

He went back to his music and I walked away with the best birthday gift I could have gotten that morning: A new resolve to “just love life,” whatever it brings.

My weekend in Monterey had many wonderful moments, but meeting that man in the harbor was definitely my favorite, because he reminded me that happiness is an attitude: No matter where you are or what is happening around you, if you look hard enough, you can find something cool to smile about.

And here in California, where everything I love seems to be evaporating before my eyes, finding a way to enjoy what is still here is more important than ever.

 

See him play and hear other music from my visit below: