Small Joys in a World That Hurts

The “I’m-in-my-40s” edition

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”