Do you ever have days where you are simply filled with joy? Where every little moment makes you feel grateful to be alive. Grateful to be in the fresh air. Grateful to have food on your plate. To watch the sunset. To read. To dance around your room. To be clean. To call a loved one. To laugh.
Today was one of those days. I simply want to document my content spirit at the end of a long and beautiful day. I know that not every day will be like this, so I am taking time to reflect and acknowledge this moment of joy.
I woke up around 8 and made eggs, put away dishes, pulled my sheets, and took my vitamins. While getting ready for the day, I listened to an audiobook, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Then I took a Lyft to campus to take my first class - ENGL 174 (Reading the Heart: Reading the Heart: Emotional Intelligence and the Humanities). I got coffee and an almond croissant from Starbucks and found a serene spot to zoom. After being home last semester, my gratitude for being close to campus is overflowing. I sat there in an emotional state of bliss (partly because of the croissant) and knew that I would not take my school and this city for granted. I am going to make the most of whatever this experience can be, regardless of how I wanted it to look. I also got my midterm back from the day before and was so proud of my grade. I nailed it! While walking through campus, I put my playlist called Turn That Frown Upside Down on shuffle. Mac Miller's song Best Day Ever started playing and brought tears to my eyes.
Here is that playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2UhIVArGL1qGnsfsJxVmKF?si=xNRqrW2OSkiKpR_Qmngzcw
After class, I went back to the apartment for lunch and to get ready for a presentation. I was craving a tuna sandwich, but alas, we did not have a can opener. I laughed it off and had leftover pasta, and then my presentation went really well. My class is filled with thoughtful students and the discussion about love and marriage was refreshing to hear from my age group.
Then came a lovely surprise! We discovered that our next door neighbor dropped off banana bread for us. We met him the night before when the power went out, and he was so fun and kind amidst chaos. It was a powerful reminder of great impact of random acts of kindness. How can I go out of my way each day to make someone smile?
At this point, it was about 3 in the afternoon. I sat outside and called my mom for over an hour. It was so nice to not be rushing the conversation and just enjoy each other's time. Too often, I am focused on my schedule and do not make adequate time to talk to loved ones. In reality, they should be my priority, not my to-do-list. I talked to my cousin for a while too and it was so fun to see her sweet face. Throughout the day, texting some of my other favorite people brought me joy. Extra gratitude for Nonni, Jackie, Sophia, Gia, and Kenzie today (and every day).
Here is the sunset. So beautiful.
Another favorite part of my day recently has been cooking. Tonight I roasted sweet potato, sauteed bell pepper, and made a salad.
While the potatoes were in the oven, I did a little workout. It was nothing crazy, but felt good to move my body and release energy.
I made some lemon ginger tea and danced around the apartment to No One by Aly and AJ. Truly such a happy and nostalgic song. I changed my sheets, did the dishes, and then showed and got all cozy.
I got in bed, read, and edited some videos. Now, here we are, writing about my long and productive day. I doubt that many days will be able to match this joy, but I will do my best every day to spread kindness and be grateful for the little things. That's all we can do. Who knows what tomorrow may bring? Whenever you may be reading this, I am wishing you growth, laughter, and love, as well as the strength the push through the not so joyful days.
Fight on.
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