Greetings from Michelle Smith—soon-to-be first-time grandmother!

Yes, my soon to be born Texas granddaughter, Annabelle Austin could be here by the time this August issue hits the stands. I am overwhelmed with happiness!

Happiness is… a newborn baby, a sunny day, water smooth like glass, a cool breeze over the water, catching a glimpse of dolphins on a beach walk or gently rolling hills with a scenic view. If you love the outdoors like I do, you may add a few more things to this list—a dramatic sunset, putting in the boat with family and friends, fishing for snapper or watching a Jubilee! Whatever your happiness is, sharing it with others doubles it, especially if you are holding hands. We see so many pictures and posts of our beautiful Gulf Coast shared on TV, in magazines, online, everywhere, and these scenes always make me happy.

But of course it goes deeper than that. Being immersed in something you love doing adds a richer level of satisfaction and happiness. For me, this started at the lake when I was about 8 years old. My dad would hand my sister and I a cane pole with a cork on the end of the line and a box of crickets, and we would spend hours staring at that cork waiting for a fish. What a joy when that cork was suddenly pulled under, and I’d set the hook. I didn’t even mind sticking that cricket on the hook or cleaning that little bream after I caught it. And if that same day included taking a ride on our pontoon boat and going swimming in the lake, my day was complete. It is the little things that make us glow.

I could go on and on about little things that keep me happy and sane. For me it is also the daily connections that come from the shared joy of a mutual accomplishment or shared experience that only you can relate to, or watching others succeed. This is one reason we watch the Olympics, right? So that we can share in the triumph over adversity, the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. We crave those connections because we are human. I am thankful for the relationships I have already started as publisher of this wonderful magazine. Relationships with readers, advertisers, business owners and those just trying to grab some happiness working toward their life purpose.

There is so much to know about the talented people of the Gulf Coast, and I can’t wait to meet more of you! What I do know is that we stick together in times of crisis, we bond over hurricane destruction, oil spills and pandemics. We relish all the little things that coastal living brings. I wish you all the happiness you deserve and I hope you find some small piece of happiness in the pages to follow.

Michelle Smith, Publisher