In 2012, my entire family and I were fortunate enough to go on a seven day cruise down to the Bahamas. It was one wild trip, with 31 family members on one boat, with many memories that will be forever remembered.

It took about three days to get down to the beautiful islands, and our first stop was The Great Stirrup Cay. We only stayed there two days, but it was such a fun time and an extremely cool experience. The views we encountered were breathtaking. The ocean was a gorgeous ombré of multiple blues. The waves overlapped each other and turned the pale gold sand into a deep golden slate. Every wave rushed onto my skin, creating a warm feeling within. There was not a single cloud in the crystal blue sky. However, it was the middle of August and the sun was beating down on us New Yorkers hard. By the end of the first day we were all lobsters with blistering skin. The people down there all were very kind and gentle; however, they aren’t as fortunate as we are. Most of their clothing they wore was handmade and they made clothing, jewelry, accessories and toys to sell by the beach. They were looking for any amount of money to support their own families. Although they didn’t have much, they all wore such bright smiles. They were genuinely happy people and they wanted other people around them to be just as happy. They had such powerful positive attitudes and easily brightened people's day around them. It was extremely hot, and a woman came to us, bringing wet towels to cool off, without keeping any for herself. She went back to work, taking care of the cabanas we were staying in for that day. She was constantly busy, walking or running from place to place to care for people. She put the tourists’ needs before her own.  Unfortunately, after our two days there, we had to board the boat again.

Next, we went to Bahamas magnificent capital, Nassau. Nassau was such a unique city. It was interesting to learn everything about the city’s history. Looking around, many people were homeless, begging for any sort of money they could receive. There were tents set up for people to sell items, and the more fortunate people got to sell their items in actual stores. The people from Nassau had less than the people from the cay, but again, they had such amazing souls. They had an upbeat attitude, constantly singing, dancing and laughing. They had no worries in life, they were surrounded by people they loved and wanted to spread the love throughout the city. They tried to get people walking by to join in on their dances or songs. Our day in the city came to an end but the memory stays vivid in my mind.

Going home was definitely more difficult than going to the Bahamas. However, after my trip, I truly realized money is nothing compared to happiness. Happiness comes from the heart, not the wallet. It is so easy to be happy with so little, if you have the right attitude and lastly, a smile goes a long way.