April 28, 2017
Capturing Tiny Moments of Happiness
The week is nearly over though I’m convinced it just started.
It’s funny how much quicker time seems to go by as we get older. Our days are so packed to the brim with appointments and deadlines and all that other boring adult stuff that we don’t have the time to stop and take note of the tiny, wonderful moments in our lives.
While working on a past issue of Bella Grace, I was especially struck by this quote from Kurt Vonnegut:
“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’”
So struck, apparently, that I caught myself doing just that. Throughout my day I found myself thinking “This is nice” when I noticed something pretty or felt myself fill with joy. I love doing this, as it allows me to capture tiny moments of happiness before they fleet away.
These moments always make me say, “This is nice”:
• That first sip of coffee in the morning
• Feeling the hot sun on my skin
• Reading in bed while the rest of the house is sound asleep
• Watching a fiery sunset from my front porch
• The first bite of food from our favorite restaurant after not going there for a long time
• Feeling the gentle breeze that blows through our living room
• The coziness that comes when I settle into bed just so
• The sound of laughter coming from my friends and family
• Walking out of the library with a pile of new books to devour
And now, I urge you (as does Mr. Vonnegut), to capture these tiny moments of happiness.
What moments make you say, “This is nice?”
Elizabeth Waggoner
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Crawling into bed at the end of the day with a book and knowing I can let everything go for a while.
Terry Gassett
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Beautiful reminder, Christen! Sitting on my back porch watching a gentle rainfall, listening to the sounds of a hoot owl as night begins to fall, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch…..
Betty Kobes
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
You are full of grace with feeling such as these.
Rebecca
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Ooops. I fear I posted my email as a comment!!
What I meant to say was:
“enjoying the cricket symphony on leaf-shadowed summer nights.”
Henrietta Marks
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Love your magazine and can’t wait for each issue to read the warm and lovely articles by Christen Hammons.
Lindsey Kinsella
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Hearing my little grandson say ‘Nana’.
Lynne Fulton
April 19, 2023 at 4:25 pm
This is nice…..when the whole family shares a meal together
We have our best conversations as a family then.