Big, important events and grand gestures are exciting and great fun. Yay!

However, it’s the small moments between the big ones that create the happiness that nourishes us every day.

Weddings, graduations, and vacations are surely meant to be celebrated and enjoyed with as much over-the-top grandeur and fun as desired.

But what makes us happy are all the tender moments of a marriage that follow the wedding, the fulfilling career that follows graduation, and the many days of “real” life between vacations.

It’s the small, non-flashy moments that make our hearts smile.   

I thought about this during one of my regular neighborhood walks.  

It was late afternoon, almost dinner time, and I was feeling a bit tired and blah. I knew I needed to get outside.  

My neighborhood never disappoints.

As I walked, I decided to make a list of “happies,” my word of small bits of happiness.

Just reading this list makes me, well, happy:

    🌟 Bright yellow daffodils blooming (spring!)

    🌟 Delicate cherry blossoms bursting forth (more spring!)

    🌟 A symphony of birds who apparently have a lot to say

    🌟 Wind chimes on a charming front porch I can always count on to serenade me

    🌟 Two adorable free lending libraries placed by generous neighbors outside their homes (see photo above)

    🌟 The stillness of the lake where the trees’ reflections doubled the beauty

    🌟 The cozy Arts Barn where I (will once again) attend live performances and art exhibits

    🌟 Various sizes of dogs being walked by their people, all high energy after an afternoon of rain

    🌟 People sitting outside Main Street cafes for the first time in a year

Wish you felt happier?

Start by being mindful of the “happies” you may be overlooking.

There is no waiting for happiness to find you.

Happiness is literally around the corner.