summer of joy

A friend said something today that reminded me about a little book I kept last year called the "Summer of Joy 2005," in which I wrote down a joy I experienced each day. I thought I'd share some with you...

• Sisters who are dependable even when you're not always yourself.
• Kids who look forward to your company, and choose you over swimming.
• Making breakfast with a friend.
• Sharing laughter at the gym.
• Non-judgmental love of a dog.
• Blessed sleep.
• Fitting into smaller pants.
• Surprise lunches.
• Sharing family with your friends.
• Bing cherries.
• Family arriving from out of town.
• Mini-adventures.
• Being devilish.
• That butterfly feeling of excitement/nervousness.
• Taking nieces to a historic location full of ghosts.
• Attending a wedding, getting dressed up & feeling girlie.
• Dancing.
• A friend's hug goodbye.
• Getting a monkey off my back.
• Finally figuring out why my tub drains so slowly...me.
• Teasing back and forth with a niece while playing games.
• Hearing a friend's health has improved.
• Managing to get four loads of wash done.
• Beautiful sunset.
• Old friend trying to reconnect.
• Laughs with a co-worker.
• Movie and dinner with Mom.
• Snapping peas on my stoop.
• Watching humingbirds.
• Neil Diamond concert.
• Friends who say yes just because it's you doing the asking.

If you've never kept such a journal, I suggest you do. Just pick up a small notebook and write a word or a sentence on each page that will remind you of a good thing that happened to you. Re-reading them lifts your spirits when you're having a bad day. Go on, TRY IT!