Small Joys in a World That Hurts
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The morning-keen smell of just-ground coffee
A friend’s excitement about their new tattoo
Picking the right key out of a bunch at the first attempt
The opening bars of the intro music to an oft-watched comfort show
Seeing a message arrive from a friend who lives far away
Watching the couple in their 70s holding hands in the supermarket
The evening anticipation of going to bed when it’s been remade that afternoon with line-dried sheets
New leaves on half-neglected but well-loved houseplants
Hearing your kid sing to themselves in the shower
Remembering to take reusable bags for the shop
The traffic light staying green when you’re in a rush
Proper tight hugs from someone you love
Cleaning out a cluttered cupboard, then opening it again each time you pass to check it’s still tidy
The arrival of a long ago pre-ordered book, forgotten til today
Pastry that flakes just the right amount
Waking up at 2am and realising there’s hours til the alarm — AND being able to go back to sleep
Finding the right filter for a photo
Keeping a good secret squeezed close to your heart
Pictures from a friend’s long-awaited holiday
The pop when opening a new jar of jam
Seeing somebody be very good at their job
Learning a delicious new word
Sunlight slanting through trees, dancing on the ground
The game starting just as the tv gets switched on
On-this-day photos of good memories
Finding your 15 year old iPod nano that still charges and realising your music taste hasn’t much changed
The flash of lights from a driver you’ve let merge into traffic
Cracking an egg first time against the edge of the bowl
Watching videos of families reuniting after absence
New writing from a favourite author
Mail that’s not a bill and tells you a real person is thinking about you
The gurgle of the radiators warming up on a cold morning
Finding the right present for someone’s birthday
A marketing email advertising a sale for something you actually need
The shorthand of chat between people who’ve known each other a very long time
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“I love you”
© Fiona McDerment, 2023. All rights reserved.
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