Every day, I look out for little things that make me smile. I sometimes take notes, knowing that those notes may bring back memories of the thing that brought me joy and the moment surrounding it.
My Moments of joy series, in which I document things that made me smile, has helped me refine my storytelling skills. Since I was a child, I have loved stories, but I always thought of myself as the listener rather than the storyteller. When I started documenting moments of joy, however, I realised that I was a storyteller all along: so much of life is sharing stories with others, although most are in conversation and lost to the sands of time. But with writing, I could create a story that would live on.
One moment of joy could bring joy to many more.
If you are looking for something new to do, I recommend taking a journal where you go next and looking out for what makes you smile.
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This weekend, I took a bus ride through the city. I love buses, especially the double-decker ones. Sitting in the top is delightful.
While I was waiting for the bus, I heard a loud “Hi!” coming from a young woman as she ran toward someone she knew. Perhaps it was a friend or a family member or a sister. Whoever the woman met, it surely made her happy. In that moment, I smiled.
A few minutes into the journey, I noticed falling leaves from trees taken away by the wind. I love watching leaves fall slowly down to the ground in autumn. Perhaps those leaves will bring joy to someone who walks past and hears the crunch of the leaves underfoot and that reminds them of being a child.
Later, we stopped at a temporary set of traffic lights outside a church. On the window, I could see my breath – my breath was warm but the air was chilly outside, so my breath made the window a bit hazy. Through the window, I could see two people picnicking. A couple, perhaps in their 50s, enjoying a sandwich and orange juice. They were smiling and laughing.
The bus rode on, and I took delight in seeing more of the sights of the city. The pretty buildings, old and new.
