J is for… Joy of Little Things
All of us want to be happy, yet it eludes most of us. Is it because we expect the happiness to come from big things….’I’ll be happy after I get married’, ‘A promotion at work will make me happy’, ‘An overseas vacation would fill my cup of joy’… If we wait for us to be happy and enjoy after a certain big thing happens, we would have missed a lot of joyous moments in life.To have a truly happy and peaceful existence, it is necessary to find happiness in small things. Life is made up of little things, so enjoying them for all their worth is bound to make for a more happy life.
The little things in life that give me joy are :
- Listening to an old song after ages and the associated times and memories flash in front of you
- A sudden warm hug from the child
- Having the swimming pool in the apartment complex all to yourself for an hour
- Getting that perfect shot with your camera
- Exchanging a smile with a stranger
- Sharing a hilarious joke with a friend on Whats App
- The perfect cup of tea in the morning
- Sitting on the bed and reading a good book
- While you finish the chores, husband cooks a fabulous meal
- The mesmerizing beauty of the nature
- Kneading a perfect dough with the Food Processor
- Having some awesome conversations with a friend
- Eating your favourite dish after a long time
- Striking a conversation with a co-passenger and find that you have a lot in common
- Observing the fishes move in an aquarium
- Getting up in the middle of the night, a look at the watch and realize there are still a lot of hours before it is time to wake up.
- Watching a movie you wanted to see for a long time on TV
- Finding a dress that fits perfectly and is at a reasonable price too
- Watching the squirrels nibble at the bread which was left out for them on the balcony wall…
No matter what stage of life we are in, there are always small things to enjoy and savour.
In your life, what are the joys of little things?
April 10, 2013 9:15 pm|
When someone is nice to me for no reason at all. That makes me one happy little girl.
April 11, 2013 3:45 am|
Oh yes, an act of kindness from somebody can make your day! 🙂
April 10, 2013 9:30 pm|
So true !! Happiness in life comes from the smallest of the things and at times when you aren’t even may be looking for it.
BTW, read all your entries for A to Z challenge and loved them all.
April 11, 2013 3:46 am|
Thanks Parul and good to see you after a long time! 🙂
April 10, 2013 11:55 pm|
Such a lovely list to remind us how lucky we are!
April 11, 2013 3:48 am|
We are lucky, we just need to realize that and keep counting our blessings! 🙂
April 11, 2013 2:00 am|
Joy of reading a friend’s post which is taking her towards victory. You have succceesfully crossed half way .
April 11, 2013 3:49 am|
Aha! You made my day, Ma’am. Your support and encouragement is making all this possible. Thank you 🙂
April 11, 2013 2:36 am|
Wow I could imagine you doing all. True that
Joy of little things . When ever I meet my 2 yr old nephew my mood becomes joyful and music ya does wonders
April 11, 2013 3:50 am|
Playing with kids, talking to them can be such a happy and a mood uplifting time 🙂
April 11, 2013 2:38 am|
Loved your list and the quote is great and ever so true. A very happy post.
April 11, 2013 3:51 am|
Thanks Suzy :))
April 11, 2013 4:16 am|
thats a lovely list… ! Goodness is all around us… we just need to keep looking for such simple pleasures 😀
April 11, 2013 5:51 am|
So true. Finding happiness in everything we do, and everything around us, can change the whole perspective about life, relationships…
April 11, 2013 4:23 am|
We picked the same topic for J day! Haha.
I like your list of things that give you joy. I was going to do this for H (happiness) before deciding to switch topics.
From the A-Z neighborhood,
Dee is for Deecoded
April 11, 2013 5:52 am|
Wow! Is it?! Hopping over to your blog in a short while! 🙂
April 11, 2013 4:47 am|
Life is made up of simple pleasures … We must learnt o enjoy them ..
For me its seeing the sunrise, a good cup of tea, flowers in bloom, a good book, chatting with a good friend !
April 11, 2013 5:56 am|
Oh yes, somebody said, life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don’t collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don’t really mean anything. 🙂
April 11, 2013 4:51 am|
Eating a fave dish, getting a cheap dress that fits perfectly and waking up just to see there are more hours to sleep tops my list!!
I’m a happy person as well – knowing fully well how to extract joy from each moment. And I truly believe that it’s a rare gift 🙂
April 11, 2013 5:57 am|
That is indeed a rare gift, Nisha, you are truly blessed! 🙂
April 11, 2013 5:00 am|
Superb list Shilpa. Indeed the little things in life are so joyful if only we will pause and appreciate. To add to your list: An honest compliment, when a friend pings after a really long time, a chat with my sister or dad, when Coco comes and places his head so thoughtfully, when my kids say that I am the best cook in the world, when hubby says something nice in his matter-of-fact way :). And the list goes on…
April 11, 2013 5:59 am|
Aha! These are some really joyous moments, indeed. They say it isn’t the big pleasures that count the most; it’s making a great deal out of the little ones!! 🙂
April 11, 2013 5:19 am|
Same as your list and maybe some more. Very good to read about them. It is true, we have to be happy we are alive, laughing with no illness, for that day, I think this much is enough for us to start the day. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is unknown, we have only the present, and let us live in the joy of the present.
April 11, 2013 6:01 am|
That is a very nice perspective, Rama. I liked your thought about living in the moment! Thanks for sharing 🙂
April 11, 2013 5:33 am|
🙂 One more addition – reading a blog that puts a smile to your face 🙂
April 11, 2013 6:02 am|
Oh yes! Such blogs are a joy to read and cherish 🙂
April 11, 2013 6:45 am|
Shilpa, other than the squirrels, which don’t show up at my home, I found myself nodding vigorously to every other instance of the little joys in our lives. Wonderful reminder of the joy that is waiting for us.
April 11, 2013 6:47 am|
That’s so cool, Cynthia! Joy is all around us, within us… just need to realize that! 🙂
April 11, 2013 6:56 am|
Wow! You have put is so beautifully 🙂
Simple joys that we tend to overlook.. Will come back for more.
April 16, 2013 9:23 am|
Thanks Bhav.zz and welcome to this space 🙂
April 11, 2013 6:58 am|
And what a joyful discovery…your post this morning…to appreciate the little things of joy 🙂 Lovely & joyful, indeed!
April 16, 2013 9:24 am|
Glad you enjoyed it RGB 🙂
April 11, 2013 7:30 am|
happiness is a state of mind.I have made a draft of these little things like my son’s chatter, the smell of the mud after the first seasonal rain, my daughter’s ‘awesome ma’ when i cook food, when the H comes home early…..you know all those little packets of joy which makes life so beautiful than owning a villa or a huge car or whatever.. Beautiful bullet list, shilpa!
Good going…. crossing two weeks of A-Z challenge with meaningul posts go…go..go…
April 16, 2013 9:25 am|
Loved your joy list too. Thanks Asha for all the support and encouragement! Means a lot! 🙂
April 11, 2013 7:33 am|
I loved all the things you listed.Joy is indeed in small every day things and comes from within us.
April 16, 2013 9:25 am|
Very true 🙂
April 11, 2013 7:52 am|
Very true!!
Hearing the same song as soon as u tune into FM, the one U just thought about.
Spotting an old memory card and finding some old pics that u thought u had lost or had even forgotten about about it
A few things that happened with me recently 🙂
As they say, Stop searching forever; happiness is much closer than you think.!!
April 16, 2013 9:26 am|
The things you mentioned surely add to the joys in a day, Priyaa 🙂
April 11, 2013 8:29 am|
Lovely post! So easy to miss these small blessings in life when we are running towards loftier goals.
April 16, 2013 9:28 am|
Thanks CW 🙂
April 11, 2013 8:36 am|
Ho I nod my head to all in this list!
April 16, 2013 9:28 am|
🙂
April 11, 2013 9:57 am|
Small joys…when you receive your online order of books 🙂 when your toddler gives you a share of her broken biscuit :)When you see a nice comment on your blog 🙂
Lovely list…and we sometimes ignore them so easily 🙁
April 16, 2013 9:31 am|
Small joys are big on smiles 🙂
April 11, 2013 10:42 am|
Loving the idea behind this, Shilpa – we must learn to be happy in the present moment!
April 16, 2013 9:31 am|
Well said, Corinne 🙂
April 11, 2013 11:22 am|
You have summed it all up so very beautifully Shilpa. I loved your list and yes could feel the vibes being transferred to me.
April 16, 2013 9:32 am|
Thanks Preeti 🙂
April 11, 2013 11:35 am|
Loved your post. Simple and nice ! spending time with my family and kid, watching my favourite movie, listening to music,dancing and the list goes on for me 🙂
April 16, 2013 9:32 am|
Thks Diana, glad you relate to this 🙂
April 11, 2013 1:00 pm|
Love this post, it’s so nice to read happy thoughts on a rainy morning.
April 16, 2013 9:33 am|
That’s cool 🙂
April 11, 2013 2:06 pm|
Love your list and most of them make me happy too. Little things make a big difference.
April 16, 2013 9:33 am|
Glad you think so too 🙂
April 11, 2013 2:46 pm|
Love this one. I was smiling throughout… 🙂
Adding a couple of mine,
Watching the seedlings you planted grow..
Forgetting to kiss my Mom goodbye, then run back to see her beaming..
April 16, 2013 9:34 am|
Oh yes, watching the seedlings grow is a big joy and running back to kiss would have added joys in your mom’s day too 🙂
April 11, 2013 2:53 pm|
One goal I made last year was to find the joy in the little things. I literally stop and smell the roses now.
April 16, 2013 9:34 am|
How sweet is that, Clarissa! 🙂
April 11, 2013 3:14 pm|
Well said Shilpa. It’s my cat who me happy most of the time most of the day.
April 16, 2013 9:35 am|
I saw your cat… a cute one 🙂
April 11, 2013 4:15 pm|
Lovely post. We should all enjoy the little things. I’m Grammy from A to Z challenge.
April 16, 2013 9:35 am|
True, Grammy 🙂
April 11, 2013 5:14 pm|
Love your list! Could be mine too! Hugs!
April 16, 2013 9:36 am|
That’s great, Vidya! Hugs back to you too 🙂
April 11, 2013 5:51 pm|
This post resonates with my J post on so many levels! Happiness is a choice and a very easy one at that. My happiest moments occur when I am alone in the room, talking loudly, making faces and laughing like a hyena 🙂
Akhil Kalsh, 1hundredworks.wordpress.com
April 16, 2013 9:37 am|
LOL 😀 that surely would bring smiles to even those who would be watching you 😀
April 11, 2013 6:03 pm|
Lovely lovely list …loved it all 🙂
April 16, 2013 9:37 am|
Thanks Sri 🙂
April 11, 2013 6:32 pm|
Awesome list! I would like to add heavy rains at the end of a hot day.. You can just sit and relax looking at it. .
April 16, 2013 9:38 am|
I love watching rains too 🙂
April 12, 2013 3:07 am|
Shilpa, this post warmed the corners of the heart. I’m gonna make my ‘smile list’ and paste it on my cupboard. So whenever I am in a foul mood, I’ll read it and remember to smile. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
April 16, 2013 9:39 am|
That’s cool V, go ahead and make your Smile list 🙂
April 12, 2013 1:59 pm|
Very true, and I totally agree! Sometimes, in search of happiness, people miss out a lot of little things in their life. It’s similar to being greedy..like you wait for bigger happiness, and finally end up getting nothing, and miss out on little things that make you smile. It’s totally up to us to see things positively and be happy at every moment that we live. I love every bit of my life, and I find happiness everywhere – when I open the door for husby, when I talk with a friend, when I see sunshine / or a flower / dog etc. That makes life worthwhile!
April 16, 2013 9:40 am|
Well said, Anu! agree with you completely 🙂