Last year for my first year of participating in the Slice of Life writing challenge, I ended with 31 Stories for Another Day. This year, it has lifted me up to ponder and add to this list of happy things over the last several days. Hooray for completing Year 2!
31 Things That Make Me Happy
(an incomplete list):
- Receiving yellow flowers from my favorite boys
- Making music with other people
- The first sip of a great cup of coffee
- The first sip of a cold beverage on a Friday
- Finding near limitless uses for Everything But the Bagel seasoning
- Seeing a ton of neighborhood kids playing outside together with my boys
- Short work weeks and long weekends
- Seeing the first blooms of spring after a cold winter
- The sound of my choir students singing together in harmony.
- Receiving a Libby notification that a highly anticipated book from my hold list is ready to borrow
- When we finish doing something in music class and a student says “that was so much fun!”
- Going to bed without setting an alarm
- Walking around my yard admiring our flowers, plants, and trees
- Spending special time with my older son: talking, drawing, playing board games and card games, telling jokes and stories.
- When my younger son snuggles up to read with me or falls asleep cuddling with me
- Standing with my feet in the water at the ocean’s edge
- Spending time in one of my happy places
- Spending time with my people
- That Friday night/first day of break/beginning of summer feeling
- The sweetness of a newborn baby
- The smell after it rains
- Hiking with my family
- Throwing rocks and sticks in the water with my two favorite little boys
- Wandering the aisles of the library or a bookstore with no agenda
- Settling in with my hubby to watch a great episode of tv with popcorn, blanket, feet up, and a cold drink
- Our monthly No Homework Book Club meetings. Showing up with friends to talk about books, enjoy a drink, share apps, and have just pure fun and good conversation? Yes.
- Having the kind of friends who you don’t have to worry about if your house is clean or not when they come over
- Seeing my people happy, successful, and/or cared for
- Having the kinds of friends and family who cheer me on
- Realizing I can commit to a habit for 30+ days even when it is hard
- Experiencing the positivity, motivation, and encouragement of the Slice of Life writing community
Thank you readers, writers, commenters, cheerleaders, and fellow Slicers for joining me on this writing journey! I appreciate anyone who took the time to read my pieces, and am very grateful to anyone who took the time to comment, respond, give feedback, or otherwise encourage me. Congratulations to my fellow Slicers for completing the challenge!