Big joy from little things

When I started my subscription to the New York Times, I opted into receiving a couple of their regular newsletters. My favorite is the Well newsletter. It's full of helpful, encouraging advice. For example, just last week, I learned that what I've been doing here with the "3 Sparks of Wonder" newsletter is focusing on "micro-moments of positivity" and that such a practice is like taking vitamins for your well-being. Who knew? (The link above will take you to the article, but you do need a subscription to read it. But fear not: I can distill the information in the blink of an eye.) The tips encourage readers to consider the opposite of a pet-peeve—rather than thinking about the tiny little things that are a significant source of irritation (mouth noises when people eat is one for me), you think about the little things that deliver a jolt of joy (like gently caressing a stem of lavender and inhaling the scent or experiencing that exquisite moment when a crisp cookie, recently dunked in tea, first makes contact with your taste buds).

As usual, I challenge you to find these little bits of wonder and revel in them. Here are a few of mine from the last week.

First spark: Velvet antlers

During our Friday morning hikes, the pups and I often see deer running through the woods. Last Friday as we headed down a connector trail, I was surprised to see a young buck standing just 20 feet away from us. The dogs never saw him, but he and I regarded one another for a good 30 seconds. What made our encounter so special was seeing his sweet little velvety antlers.

Second spark: Attention to detail

Sometimes I really miss the two bakeries I could walk to when we lived in Rochester, Michigan. Thinking of them sometimes leads me to lament that I have nothing so nice around here—except I really do; I just need little reminders to counteract the dreaded negativity bias. There is, in fact, a lovely bakery and cafe that makes beautiful little two-bite (and multiple-bite) desserts just 15 minutes away by car. And over the weekend, I discovered that a Publix nearby makes some impressive desserts as well. I hated the thought of sliding my fork into this thin slice of cake because the chocolate embellishments on top were so gorgeous. But don't worry—not only did I sink the fork through the beautiful layers of chocolate, I ate the whole thing!

Third spark: Fuel for fermentation

I think I have tried growing cabbage every year for the last four or five years, and each time, it's like I have hung a flashing neon sign in the garden that says, "All-You-Caterpillars-Can-Eat Buffet Open." I have even tried to check the young cabbages every morning and evening to reduce the damage, but those caterpillars always win—until this year. I have three little cabbage heads ready for harvest! I picked one yesterday, and now it's bubbling away in a fermentation jar on the counter. In a week or so, it could be the best sauerkraut I have ever tasted just because it's homegrown.

What has sparked a little wonder for you in the last week? Leave a comment below! And if you're not already a subscriber to 3 Sparks of Joy, you can take care of that at the bottom of the homepage!