What brings you pure glee? Here’s our list

It’s the little things that often elicit the best feelings. They are small revelations that make us so happy. These we often find if we are looking where we might not expect. Then suddenly, pow, it’s a wow. 

We suggest appreciating a gleeful burst when it happens. Capture it, hold on to it for as long as it lasts. The reason is that it can disappear as quickly as it came, much like a soap bubble or rainbow. Here today, gone tomorrow. Poof! 

Here’s our list:

Spending time with a new grandchild and seeing a first smile, or seeing an older grandchild stand up and walk!

Learning a difficult piece of music

Mastering a new painting technique

Taking a hot bath and adding bubbles, wonderful scent or Epsom salts to ease aches and pains

Experiencing the various pleasures of travel and seeing new destinations

Making someone else feel special and feeling joy for another person’s  accomplishments

Telling someone how wonderful they look and watching their expression change to glee

Watching an event such as the Paris Olympics and being amazed by the synchronized diving or unbelievable gymnastics

Going to a classical concert and hearing Philip Glass’ music live for the first time

Watching the first episode in a series and thinking this is so much fun, whether Suits, Royal Pains or Heartland

Seeing a painting or work of art that resonates such as a great David Hockney swimming pool or an abstract Richard Diebenkorn

Going to a lecture where something new is learned and changes your thinking

Finishing a difficult task or meeting a deadline

Learning you’re in remission with an illness or someone you love is 

Being left an inheritance and deciding to pay off a student loan, mortgage or donate some to a favorite charity

Eating a favorite meal…again and again

Playing hooky from work; going outside to take a walk on a beautiful day.

Seeing the opening of a Broadway musical or play or Gustavo Dudamel conducting a classical music concert at the New York Philharmonic

Seeing Paul McCartney on Madison Avenue in New York city or Lauren Graham in Los Angeles and smiling, and they smile back

Making a new friend and making plans to get together

Hearing a great joke or reading something hilarious and having a deep and healthy belly laugh; we do when rereading Nora Ephron

Writing something and getting good feedback

Buying something simple for a favorite endeavor such as a wonderful new tube of a certain color of paint or a new brush

Hearing good news about one of our children—a promotion, a degree, an award or just hearing from them when we least expect it to be

Getting a great bargain or a discount, all those extra rewards from CVS or Walgreens so what you pay is much less

Eating a delicious pastry that is buttery and has chocolate or lemon, whipped cream or both and feeling it was worth every penny

Cooking something challenging like a chocolate souffle or popovers and having it turn out well

Knowing your plantings in the garden or rooftop garden—flowers, vegetables or herbs—are growing well and offer oomph to a meal or in a vase in your home

Taking a walk as a break on a route you usually go and noticing something new

Seeing a friend’s art show or attending a concert where they play or seeing them in a show where they sing; encore and applause

Thinking of a loved one no longer with us when that grief has turned to gratitude

The moments of joy in our lives just happen. They do not require planning, which makes them even more special. It’s this burst of glee that gives us a respite from our regular lives and helps us to return to our everyday routines revitalized and smiling.