In such days, he thinks joy must be something big like a winning bid, a long trip, a turning point in life. But then, very coincidentally, joy comes in unexpectedly small ways.
In the morning, the small coffee shop where he often stops every morning is still the same. The menu is slightly skewed, the coffee grinder is working, the scent of coffee is flying all the way to the sidewalk. The coffee shop owner gives him a cup of coffee, smiling brightly as if welcoming a special guest. The smile reveals a charming crooked teeth that he usually doesn't notice. It makes him look back at the owner and see that she is more beautiful than usual, the hot coffee cup in his hand also seems to be more fragrant...
In the afternoon, the shipper knocked on the door, giving him a book sent from afar. Not a birthday, nor a special occasion. Just an old friend, in another city, remembering him and thinking that this book "could be suitable for him". He opened the book, the first page had scribbled handwriting, liberal. In that moment, he felt like he was being thought about, placed in a small corner of someone's life. The book was not needed to be read, just lying still on the table was enough to make the evening pleasant.
Then there were joys from a very small kindness. The motorbike taxi driver took him through the congested streets, skillfully weaving through the crowd. Arriving there, he struggled to see where the small change lacked two thousand VND, intending to scan the code, then the motorbike taxi driver smiled and said: "Okay, that place is fine too, brother". Two thousand VND did not buy anything significant, but the way it was ignored is memorable.
Life is inherently difficult, such as rising prices, stagnant work, shrinking time, and sluggish sleep. But because of that, small joys become precious. They do not solve problems, do not erase worries, but they soothe our hearts.
Small joys often come unexpectedly. We cannot schedule a smile at the right time, or pre-order a kind act. They appear when we are busy thinking about other things, when our minds are so busy that we don't expect anything. And perhaps because we don't expect anything, we realize it completely. Some people say, finding small joys is a way to comfort ourselves, to lower expectations. But it's a life skill.
Knowing how to be happy in the face of tiny things does not make us stop hoping for bigger things; it only helps us not run out of energy on the way. We still work, still worry, still face heavy days. The only difference is that, in the middle of it, we have a little more joy, comfort to add inspiration or regain motivation to continue living. So, if possible, be happy. Be happy with very small things, very real and very human.
