Living Happiness

The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief.
~William Shakespeare, Othello

(Almost) every Sunday on Living Happiness, we take the time to share our bright spots in the week in a little thing called The Joy List. We have celebrated joyful moments here … and given our appreciation for daily blessings … and today we are honoring those moments that have simply made us smile.

Sometimes it’s not easy to smile. Daily pressures wear on us and make us heavy. Difficult circumstances erode at us, wearing away our joy. But then, quite unexpectedly, something happens: maybe a child at the table next to us laughs and pours his cereal bowl over his head, maybe the guy next to us at the stoplight busts an MC Hammer move in the front seat of his car, maybe someone simply smiles at us as we pass them in the street. However it happens, these smiles can lift our spirits, change our scope, remind us that the absence of light in our dark times doesn’t mean that the light has ceased to exist.

As always, Living Happiness asked the question this week, “What moments have brought a smile to your face?”

Here is what we heard:

1. How happy my daughter was when “Cowboy Dan” at church said goodbye to her yesterday by name. It was hilarious – it was like her version of celebrity. She talked about it the rest of the day. ~Addie Campbell Nix

2. My doodlebug running through the yard from the afternoon bus drop,waving a red ribbon for winning 2nd place in both the frisbee-throwing contest on field day and for a painting in the school’s art competition. My boys playing hide and seek, fort, etc. all morning with the boxes I was using to pack … such imaginations and how happy they were with something so simple. The help of my mother-in-law and the new relationship we are building. Being given the keys to the cute lil house I plan to make a home for my family. ~Carrie Chappell

3. My 10-year-old called me at work two days ago to let me know he had put the dishes away for me. My daughter gave me a kiss and thanked me for driving her to pick up something she had forgotten. Last night my 2 teenagers were having a conversation in the living room (without arguing). ~Horte Hernandez

4. Got to see my little girl that is still growing inside me! She is healthy and getting big! How beautiful! ~Shelley Doolittle Bowers

And here are my additions:

5. Watching a dear friend spending time with her six-month-old daughter … and seeing this beautiful baby girl smile.

6. Being “bartended” by our neighbours’ three-year-old daughter, who kept trying to top up everyone’s glass. Half ended up in the glass, and half ended up on the table.

7. My husband yelling out, “GOAL!” for the neighbours to hear.

8. Lying on the beach, watching the kids playing football with a beach ball, like they themselves were in the World Cup.

Now it’s your turn:

What moments have made you smile this past week?

Wishing all of the many fathers out there a very special and happy Father’s Day!!!

If you would like to contribute to each Sunday’s The Joy List, join Living Happiness’s Facebook Community where each week’s theme is shared ahead of time.

Photo Credit hlkljgk