Episode 26: Meditation, Happy Grandpas, and the Power of Awe – A Conversation with COH Board President Charles Wood

Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.

On today's episode, you'll meet Carousel of Happiness Board President, Charles Wood. Charles has been involved with the carousel for 12 years now, and has had pretty much every single job in this place. In addition to serving on the board, Charles has been a volunteer, he’s worked the front desk, he’s been an operator, and briefly he served as the interim Executive Director. Charles tells me about what it was like growing up in Houston, how meditation brought him back to his path, and how he loves watching adults light up when they experience the carousel for the first time.

Quotes in this episode:

"The purpose of life is to be happy." – The Dalai Lama.

“Once we truly know that life is difficult — once we truly understand and accept it — then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.” – M. Scott Peck

“We have art in order not to die of the truth.” – Friedrich Nietzche

Do you have a story to share? Leave us a message!

The Carousel of Happiness is a nonprofit arts & culture organization dedicated to inspiring happiness, well-being, and service to others through stories and experiences.

Check out the carousel on the CBS national news! https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carousel-daydream-helped-marine-get-through-vietnam-war-he-then-made-that-carousel-a-reality/

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider visiting the Carousel of Happiness online (https://carouselofhappiness.org/), on social media (https://www.facebook.com/carouselofhappiness), or in real life. Or consider donating (https://carouselofhappiness.org/once-donate/) to keep the carousel and its message alive and spinning 'round and 'round.

If you have a story to share, please reach out to Allie Wagner at [e-mail]

Special thanks to songwriter, performer, and friend of the carousel, Darryl Purpose (https://darrylpurpose.com/), for sharing his song, "Next Time Around," as ou...