I loved working on 'Happy Gilmore' because I love to travel to

In the words of Kevin Nealon, spoken with warmth and simplicity, we glimpse a truth about work, friendship, and the joy of movement: “I loved working on ‘Happy Gilmore’ because I love to travel to new places and we got to go to British Columbia. Any Adam Sandler film is fun to work on because it is a reunion of the boys club of guys that have worked together in the past.” At first, it seems a lighthearted reflection on a film set, yet beneath it shines a lesson older than stone: that the sweetness of life is found not only in the task itself, but in the bonds of companionship and the adventure of new horizons.

The joy of travel to new places is the joy of discovery, the widening of the soul. Nealon’s words echo the ancient truth that movement from the familiar to the unknown awakens vitality in the human spirit. To set foot in British Columbia, with its towering mountains and deep forests, is not merely to change one’s workplace, but to be nourished by the beauty of the earth. The ancients knew this well—pilgrimages and voyages were not only physical journeys, but spiritual renewals, reminding us that the world is vast and full of wonder.

To work upon a film like Happy Gilmore is in itself a kind of journey, a weaving together of creativity and collaboration. Yet Nealon reveals that the deeper joy was not only in the work, but in the fellowship. Here lies wisdom: the task may be noble, but it is the companions that make the labor sweet. Just as Odysseus’ journey was not borne alone, but alongside comrades whose laughter and struggle carried him through, so too did Nealon’s work become memorable because it was shared with those who had walked the road with him before.

The mention of Adam Sandler and the “boys club” reminds us of the strength of community, of returning to familiar bonds forged in past labors. In history, we see the same pattern: generals who chose to march with soldiers they had fought beside before, artists who painted alongside the same circle of friends, philosophers who gathered in repeated dialogues with their disciples. The reunion of trusted companions creates a rhythm, a harmony, a deep trust that makes every new challenge feel not like toil, but like celebration.

Consider the tale of Shakespeare’s players, the troupe of actors who performed his works time and again. They were not strangers, but a company bound together, rehearsing, traveling, and performing side by side. Their friendship and familiarity gave power to their art, so that each performance was not just a duty but a joyous return to a shared endeavor. Nealon’s reflection belongs to this same lineage: the delight of returning again and again to work with those who know your rhythm, your humor, your heart.

His words also remind us that the greatest treasures of life are often found in the union of adventure and companionship. Travel alone can inspire, but when shared with friends, it becomes memory, laughter, and story. Work alone can provide, but when undertaken in fellowship, it becomes joy. The ancients saw this truth in the feasts after labor, in the songs sung by armies after battle, in the companionship of guilds and councils. Nealon’s reflection tells us that modern work, too, can carry the same ancient spirit of fellowship.

The lesson is clear: seek not only new places, but also familiar companions. Let your work not be defined solely by its outcome, but by the joy of those who labor beside you. Embrace opportunities to travel, to broaden your horizons, but remember also to cherish the bonds of friendship that turn duty into delight.

So I say to you: travel boldly, work diligently, but above all, value those with whom you journey. For the task may pass, the project may end, but the friendships forged and renewed will remain. Like Nealon in his films, may your life be filled with both the adventure of new lands and the laughter of old friends—for in that union lies the true joy of living.