Perspective is a valuable commodity.
The challenge is, perspective is earned — through trial and error. Over time. You experience enough life, you gain clearer perspective.
When you’re younger, life can be all about the big happiness:
a birthday
Christmas
turning 13 … or 16 … or 18 … or 21
buying your first car
sharing your first kiss
graduating from high school … graduating from college
getting married
landing a book contract
Big happinesses, one and all.
But what comes between?
The small joys. Yes, the small joys:
shared laughter
sunrises … sunsets
game nights
family meals
silence that understands
first steps
a peaceful night’s sleep
I’ll be looking for the small joys this week. Join me?
In Your Words: What “Big Happiness” are you pursuing? How do you make sure you don’t overlook the “small joys”?
[Tweet “Big Happiness or Small Joys? #lifequotes”] [Tweet “Pick Your Size: Big Happiness or Small Joys? “]
Comments 12
I have days where small joys seem to just jump out at me. Like this morning, a coworker bought me a Diet Coke with my name on it. (Yes, I’m the person marketing ploys like that work really well on 🙂 ) And two coworkers serenaded the rest of us with that “Good Morning” song from Singin’ in the Rain. AND I found a bracelet I thought I’d lost.
But other days I definitely get lost in pursuit of big happiness…enough that the small joys go unnoticed. And that’s not the way I want to be. Thankfully, I have pretty great people around me who bring me down to earth when I need it and remind me to be happy about the little things in everyday life.
Author
Melissa:
I love the Coke marketing plan with “Share a Coke with (fill in the blank with a name)” written on the label. So creative and fun! And, yes, a small joy.
And being serenaded?
Love it!
We are going through a series at church right now all about JOY! This touched so much of what we’re talking about:)
Author
How fun, Susan! Love repetition of a truth.
Small joys…my cat being my alarm clock at 5:30 by hopping in bed and sitting on my chest, purring. She doesn’t want anything but for me to get up and play with her. lol
A rainbow…fresh cut grass…my deck where I sit each morning to spend time with God as I listen to the birds sing and watch the humming birds flt from my Rose of Sharon bush to my feeder…the small joys are everywhere!
Author
Rainbows are always a “big” small joy for me.
There is joy in defilade.
That means you’re in a position not subject to direct fire, though indirect fire (mortars, etc.) can still gobble you up.
Still, there’s nothing like the warm-fuzzy of being behind a berm (or in a ditch), listening to the rounds snapping by, and knowing they can’t reach you. Well, yeah, you do hope that the bad guys don’t bring up a mortar.
That lesson learned, I realized that life is lived in the details, the small moments of hope and gratitude. Big happiness is fine – as long as it’s enjoyed in the same way, with an appreciation for the moving parts that make it work.
Otherwise if becomes a marble statue. Michelangelo’s “David” is lovely, but it’s cold stone, devoid of feeling, frozen into a pose we may not be able to comprehend.
Author
Thank you, Andrew. I have learned a new word.
😉
Small joy.
Great post, again, Beth. 🙂 I am learning to look for the small joys in my days. This weekend, sitting on a covered porch and watching a red tailed hummingbird fly around in a wild flower garden just ministered to my spirit.
Hugs from my boys. Words of encouragement from an unexpected source, these are small joys. Yes, I look for the big happiness, but it’s the small joys that give contentment and hope.
Author
Ah, hummingbirds.
Small joys, indeed.
FINALLY getting my weed and hurricane damaged garden under control was a BIG HAPPINESS!! It was a royal mess.
Then having hubs trim all the trees in the front yard? Wow, the extra light will make everything look better and feed the sun starved plants.
Small joy? Having hubs take pleasure in helping a writer friend with research. That was sweet.
Author
How fun that your husband helped a writer-friend.
Love that.