Searching for small joys

Here are a few things that have brought me joy lately.

Hi, friends.

It’s been a rough series of weeks in my neck of the woods, and I’m betting a lot of you are in the same boat. I didn’t post here last week, because I simply didn’t have any words. I still don’t have a lot of words, to be honest.

But a few things have brought me joy.

I have a feeling we’re all going to need to seek out small joys—and to share those joys with each other—over the next couple years.

Here are some recent small joys in my life:

Food

Earlier this week, I made a Crock Pot full of chicken soup with rice. It’s finally soup weather here, after a warmer-than-usual fall, and my daughter specifically requested chicken soup with rice. She wanted me to make this particular dish in honor of her beloved first-grade teacher, who unfortunately passed away quite suddenly on Halloween. Mr. Cliff used to begin each new month by reading the kids the relevant page from Maurice Sendak’s Chicken Soup With Rice. I’d like to think Mr. Cliff would appreciate a bowl of delicious soup eaten in his memory.

Our much-loved copy of Chicken Soup With Rice.

More in the realm of food: my kiddo and I went to the Whole Foods hot bar on Monday after swim lessons. I had a scoop of macaroni and cheese that was…*chef’s kiss*…the best. Also, on Wednesday, I got myself an epic cinnamon roll from my favorite local bakery, Yardsale Cafe. I was going to take a picture of it to show you, but I ate it before I remembered.

Books

I just finished reading the sweetest Hanukkah rom-com, Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot. Grumpy cafe owner Abby is tasked with running a Hanukkah festival in the small Vermont town where she lives. She enlists one of her regular customers, Seth, to help her plan the event and source vendors. Seth agrees to help, in return for Abby coming home with him to NYC for Hanukkah…posing as his girlfriend. This book has fake-dating transforming into real feels, as well as plenty of holiday season fun. It made me excited for winter in NYC! (Fun fact: Amanda and I published our debut YA novels in the same year, 2015! She now mostly writes adult romance, but you can also look up her YA and MG books, published as Amanda Panitch.)

Does my own book count? Since it’s been bringing me joy—yes. I’ve hit the point in my adult romance novel draft where the characters have given in to their mutual attraction. It’s the honeymoon phase of the book! Of course, that means the big conflict will soon rear its ugly head…but for now, it’s all fun and games. I finished a scene yesterday that had me dancing in my chair with glee. There are times, as a writer, when you know you’ve done something good. Clinging to those moments keeps you going through the hard stuff (of which there is, unfortunately, a lot).

Arts and Crafts

Last week, I took my daughter to a local chain pottery painting place. I got a lot of joy from watching her gleefully attack the items she chose—a ceramic cat, a Christmas tree ornament, and a birthday present for her dad—but I also painted a piece of my own. I made this mug, which is supposed to resemble a sunrise. Creating something, with little to no pressure for it to be perfect, is so good for the soul. (It helps, however, that I absolutely love how it turned out.)

Also in the arts-and-crafts realm, here is a mask my child recently made at camp. This brings me so much joy. Behold, Trixie the Moon-Cat:

Community

Last weekend, I got to have a date night with my husband. (We recently celebrated our 13th anniversary!) The restaurant was nice, as was the time out as adults, child-free. But what I specifically want to highlight as joy-giving is how we walked home afterward, hand-in-hand, through the neighborhood where we’ve chosen to build our lives together. That walk with my husband began to refill my bucket.

We live in a wonderful community. Our daughter’s school community is amazing. We have a local playground community and a community of neighbors on our block. I’m in community with fellow writers, with fellow dancers, with fellow moms. And of course, I have the best partner and the best kiddo.

We need each other right now, folks. We can find joy in and with each other.

I hope you discover some joys—small and large—in the weeks ahead.

~Kathryn