Happiest Moment Today ...

I love to spring clean and de-clutter, recycle, and generally breathe new life into my living space – what a relief and feeling of lightness comes over me. And I notice that it’s especially helpful when my intention is to allow new things and experiences and creativity to come into my life – letting of stuff creates the space for all things new, including fresh ideas. And the de-cluttering process also helps me to re-discover precious things I want to keep and use again.

Last week I re-discovered my “Happiest Moment” journal. I don’t remember where I got the idea but it sure was a gem. At the end of each day I would tune in and ask myself “What was my happiest moment today?” And I’d write down the date and the answer. I christened the journal on October 6, 2007 and I wrote that day that my happiest moment was “laying on my belly with acupuncture needles moving chi in my neck, shoulders and lower back; yummy heat pads had been placed on my feet and back and I laid there ... listening to my breathing, feeling the flow of energy and revelling in the care for my wondrous body”.

I kept writing daily “happiest moments”, skipping the odd day and, later, the odd week, until somehow my attention was turned to other things and I put the journal into a drawer. A drawer full of happiest moment vibrations! And as I review them now, I notice that 90% of those moments were simple, yet magical, connections with people.

On October 9/07 I wrote that my happiest moment was spending 3-4 minutes with a couple of second year students that I ran into on my walk near the college, between classes. They were sitting on the grass with books open and they called my name and suddenly we were given this precious moment to refuel each other with laughter and fun ... the three of us glowing ... I shared my excitement about something I was learning and they shared theirs about their Thanksgiving dinners.

On July 11, 2008 I wrote “Today, as I walked to a downtown appointment, on the sidewalk I approached what looked like a man who might have been homeless (standing by store with hat and sign). He asked me how I was today, with a big and clearly genuine smile on his face – I said “great, how are you?” and he said “I’m great! I woke up breathing and here I am!”. BIG genuine smile and a truly happy vibe. Amazing! It was just a few seconds – a brief moment but it stands out as one of the greatest gifts of my life.” What a teacher.

Writing these down and remembering them now helps me to honor the most important stuff in life. Every day I’m presented, as we all are, with constant choices to make. And this journal reminds me that I’ve waited my whole life to get to this moment. And then the next one. And the next. I waited my whole life to share those special 3 minutes with those two students and I waited my whole life to feel the joy in the eyes of the man who might have been homeless. Wow. The smallest of things are very big indeed.

I’m going to start recording those happiest moments again tonight and who knows what today’s moment will be, because I’ve got a lot of moments to experience between now and bedtime. Hmm. So far today, my happiest moment has been remembering the joy in the eyes of the man on the street and the love and fun connecting with those two students. Here it is, 1-2 years later and these people and simple moments in the span of a busy day continue to positively impact my life. It inspires me and reminds me that happiness is an inside job and that it comes more often in short moments here and there than it might in big events or after something we think might make us happy (ie: losing weight, buying a better car, etc, etc).

De-cluttering and seizing daily happy moments – exactly what was needed to move forward on my adventures today. And of course I wish for all of us the ability to awaken to the happy moments around us, more and more all the time. Because, as you probably know, not only is happiness an inside job, but it really is contagious, isn’t it. As the video in my first blog entry says “smile and you will make two people happy”.

What is your happiest moment so far today?
Thanks for listening and brightening my life.
Lee