With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we are all reminded that it’s not just a time to pig out and watch football with our family, it’s a time to give thanks! Today’s blog post is all about the small joys in life. It’s easy to recognize the big ones: events like graduating from college or buying a house. But it’s important we remember and appreciate the little things in life that make it so grand. Here are some to consider:

1. The aroma of Starbucks coffee as you first walk in or when the drive thru window opens and blasts the delicious scent into your car. Heavenly, and I don’t even drink coffee all that often.

2. The kindness of strangers has warmed my heart on a number of occasions. The older woman we’ve hired to be our daughter’s “Granny” is one of these people. She is incredible! She used to teach little ones, and so my daughter has a trustworthy, intelligent, grandmotherly woman who provides wonderful care.

3. Have you ever had this happen? It’s fall and the first chill is in the air. You grab a jacket out of the closet, shake off some of the dust and wrinkles, and put it on. You absentmindedly place your hands in the pockets and presto! You’ve found some money you had placed in the jacket pocket last year.

4. I grew up in the country, quite a drive from city dwellings such as the mall, pizza places, and even parks. The ice cream man and his ice cream truck were fabled beings that only existed to my brothers and me through legends and hearsay. Imagine my delight as an adult when my husband and I bought our house in the suburbs and the ice cream man made his magical way into my neighborhood! I didn’t buy anything, but I was the most gleeful I had been in a very long time. Even now, every summer when the ice cream truck makes its rounds, I feel that there’s a certain tangible anticipation buzzing around the neighborhood.

5. We all know that fast food/junk food is the devil. Nevertheless, it’s a small joy in life to enjoy curly fries.  As for chocolate, besides Reese’s peanut butter cups, I could probably live off of Ghirardelli dark chocolate sea salt and caramel squares or Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles.

6. It’s a small joy in life to have friends and strangers read my blog and let me know that they enjoy it. It’s a great feeling when they let me know that they miss my writing and quirky stories!

7. Lastly, a small joy is having the kind of close friendship where you can all just pick up where you last left off. I have a friend, Suzanne, who moved to England some years ago to get her PhD at Oxford University. She comes back to the States every couple of years, and it’s amazing how she, and I, and some of our other friends (we all came together in high school) can meet up and continue our friendship as if Suzanne had been here all along. It’s a really nice feeling to have that level of friendship and connectivity.

I’m sure my list could go on and on, but for brevity’s sake I think I’ll stop here. I would love to hear about the little things in life that you have been thinking about lately! Thanks!