Earlier this month, I answered the door to find a neighbor and her children on my front porch. They wished me a Happy Birthday and gave me a lovely plant. What a sweet surprise! That day was full of joyful little surprises. What amazes me most is that many were ordinary events which could have happened on any day. Let me show you what I mean.
I needed to go to the library, so I took my dog with me for a walk at a park near there. It was especially pretty on that sunny November morning. As we headed down the path, there was a maintenance worker ahead of us, starting up his leaf-blower to clear the trail. He smiled at us and immediately turned it off when he saw me and my dog approaching. It was nice of him to let us walk by in peace, without having leaves and debris blown at us. Later, the same worker came up behind us on his little motorized vehicle, and my dog and I stepped aside to let him pass. He signaled his thanks with another grin. I almost felt like I had a new friend. It’s amazing how a small courtesy and a smile can make a day more pleasant.
At the far end of the park is a community garden. As we walked through, I saw the biggest birthday bouquet ever! Ok, no one else knew it was a birthday bouquet, but it was a gigantic clump of blooming chrysanthemums. Actually, the word clump doesn’t do it justice. It was a bush!
Leaving the park, we passed city hall and I remembered I had wanted to see a friend’s art exhibit there. I spent a lovely few minutes admiring her work. I was grateful that our creative God gifted humanity with the ability to create, too.
Outside once more, I watched two election officials wheeling a big bin of ballots from the dropbox, greeting passersby as they went. How wonderful to see democracy in action.
I arrived at the library just before opening time and several patrons were waiting outside. I think it says good things about my community that this is such a popular place. The librarian opened the door with a cheerful greeting, and people politely held the door for each other. Was everyone always this neighborly?
I had had a wonderful day—and it wasn’t even noon yet. Before any official celebrations, without even seeing anyone who knew it was my birthday, it had been an especially joyful morning. What was going on?
- Did God sprinkle a little extra blessing on my day because He knew it was my birthday? That could be. And I’m grateful.
- In an area known for its grey drizzle, November is typically our wettest month. The gift of a mild and sunny day made for a beautiful walk at the park and a dry wait at the library. I’m certain it also contributed to the smiles on people’s faces. (Readers living in drier climates can laugh, but, as my daughter might say, it’s a thing here.)
- Perhaps most importantly, one last factor made my birthday into an extraordinary day—my attitude. Even when no one else around knew it was my birthday, I did. I had hopeful expectations for the day. I was on the lookout for joy and for reasons to be grateful. And I found them in abundance. How much had I missed on other days when I wasn’t paying attention? What would it be like if I looked for joy every day?
As I finish this post, I am aware that I’ve written about watching for moments of joy before. I keep writing about it because I need the reminder. An earlier post is about about finding joy in a difficult time. Just click “blog” at the top of the page and scroll down to October 20, 2018 to read Little Acorns, Little Joys.
Especially as we enter this season of Thanksgiving, let’s keep our eyes open for the little joyful surprises held in each day. When you find those, I invite you to share them with us in the comments section below.
Blessings,
J.B.
