It’s hard to find the little things that make us happy when we are all trying to fill a void and continue to chase after the things that we think make us happy. In reality, it’s the little moments that make you laugh until your stomach aches, fills your eyes with tears of joy, or just puts a genuine smile on your face. You can continue chasing after that boy who repeatedly breaks your heart but you are convinced is “the one”. Or keep going out with friends all you want and perhaps it’s that popular group you want to be apart of but are not true friends. These may bring you momentary happiness but that feeling will wear off and you will regret not finding genuine happiness when you are broken hearted, lost, and confused.

That may be a tough reality for some but it’s a truth that needs to be heard. Especially nowadays when everything is a popularity contest and a beauty pageant, trying to look the prettiest and coolest at all times. Your cover up is not fooling anyone. It’s possible this lifestyle brings happiness to some but I want genuine happiness that lasts, a genuine smile on my face, and laughter that makes me fold over while attempting to catch my breath. And the thing is, I know I have that. In order to get here, I have started to find joy in the little things. After long days of school, student teaching, and everything else college has to offer, I get to come home to people that automatically put that smile on my face and can make me laugh under any circumstance. When at student teaching, it brings tears of joy to my eyes helping a student sound out “peanut butter and jelly” as he attempts to spell each word with such excitement. Or when I am on FaceTime with my sister catching up on our lives and we just talk and talk for hours solely about our inside jokes and she asks when I am coming back home. It’s these moments that you remember and hold on to.

Its little moments like these that I have begun to notice are where my true happiness lies. There have been times in my life, just like everyone else, where I was chasing after something I thought made me happy but it blurred my vision on life and came to find that my happiness did not last every long. These little moments that are spontaneous and unpredictable I know I can look forward to and count on to brighten even the darkest of days. It’s a tough lesson to live by and remember on a day to day basis because we all get so caught up in life but I challenge all of you to go through your days and find those little moments that bring a genuine smile to your face. Fill your life with these little moments because that is what happiness is. It’s the little things in life.