So, I called in the cavalry…

…as I wasn’t sure how to answer this morning, when I first looked at the prompt.

I posted the question to Facebook to see what my friends might have to say. They had some GLORIOUS reasons to feel joy and gratitude, like tea and toast for breakfast, and those blurry half-dreams you have before you properly fall asleep (and that friend actually knew the name for those… hypnagogic hallucinations).

Pets, kids, grandkids… all popular themes.

The scent of flowers in bloom, the bright sight of dandelions.

Cool water, especially first thing in the morning.

Smelling fresh rain, hearing ravens.

Getting lost in a good book, or enjoying a favorite snack, or trying a new flavor of something for the first time, and really enjoying it.

Someone even said just simply being alive, even when it isn’t always pleasant, physically, mentally, or emotionally.

WOWZA!

Lots of awesome thoughts there.

Here are mine, thus far…

5 Everyday Reasons for Happiness

• Selecting the day’s lip balm before heading out, swiping it on and tasting it, pocketing it, ready to face my day
• Creating something: painting, making a collage, writing creatively, even whipping up a cute graphic on Canva
• Swapping memes with my friends and my daughter
• My current obsession, whatever it may be (right now, it’s Spotify’s daylist option, where AI pairs you with a playlist vibe that’s switched up several times throughout the day).
• Waking up with a contented, peaceful cat snoozing on my chest

5 Bonus Reasons for Happiness

…because a mere 5 didn’t feel like enough

• It’s been said, sorta, but ice water specifically in my beloved Hello Kitty water bottle
• The caffeine buzz quality of a fresh crush, and literal caffeine buzzes
• Quality dark chocolate… so decadent!
• Reading a poem that opens me to the beauty of the world and the human experience, in spite of or even because of all its pain
• “Good soup.” Especially squash soups, and tomato bisque with sweet basil, and hot and sour soup, and wonton soup.

…and an honorable mention to the solid reassurance of the rose quartz worry stone and crescent-shaped carnelian agate I keep in my pockets most days. The worry stone feels like a Werther’s Original for your fingertips, if that makes sense. Similar shape and texture, only smoother, and not at all sticky.