These are dark times.
The last year has seen significant suffering both at home and abroad.
So why not take a break for a moment and acknowledge some happy moments?
Redditor AdityaSingh11 asked the online community:
"What was the happiest thing to ever happen to you?"
I can personally say that these stories definitely brought a much-needed smile to my face.
"My sister tried to fight a kid..."
My sister was adopted the day after my 13th birthday. She's my favorite person ever and I'd do anything for her. Sure, we bicker a lot, but we are incredibly close.
My sister tried to fight a kid once because they decided to talk sh*t about me in an attempt to bully my sister. When the teacher separated them, the kid made fun of my sister for being adopted. She pointed at him and yelled, "Well at least my parents got to choose me!"
I was so proud because I told her to say that if someone gave her sh*t for being adopted.
She's a great kid, and I want nothing but success and happiness for her.
Well...
...that certainly made my heart melt.
"I escaped an abusive household..."
My 12th birthday. I escaped an abusive household with my family. We didn't get housed for around 2-3 months because the housing agency couldn't find anywhere big enough for us, so we hopped from hotel to hotel and ate takeout EVERY NIGHT. It was three days before my 12th birthday. The best birthday I've ever had.
I'll never ever forget it. It was also the day I got to wear leggings and a shirt without being berated for it. I remember being so afraid of showing my body at all like that. It had its downs, but it was great.
Amazing! You not only were able to celebrate, but you marked the beginning of a new and happier chapter. Bravo.
"She sat alone..."
I met my best friend in high school. She sat alone during lunch and one day I sat with her and eight years later we're still best friends. The only ride or die person in my life.
As someone who doesn't really have friends from high school...
...it's nice to hear stories like these.
That said, I did meet some wonderful people in college and onward, so I can't really complain.
"Wedding went off perfectly..."
I would have to say the whole week of my wedding/honeymoon.
Wedding went off perfectly, just a small gathering of our families and a very select few friends, then my wife and I went to Cedar Point for a couple days, and then, the best part, traveling Michigan, visiting breweries and restaurants with no schedule or structure at all. Just 3 days of her and I with no responsibilities or worries.
"When I submitted an article..."
When I submitted an article to a magazine and it was accepted and they asked me to be a regular columnist.
"I was going through a hard time..."
Holding my nephew a few days after he was born. I was going through a hard time with suicidal thoughts (beginning of covid) but when I held my sweet nephew, all of those thoughts went away. Well at least for a good few weeks! I'm doing much better now and am excited to meet my other nephew who will be born in June!
"This may be too early..."
This may be too early, but I just had a doctor's appointment where the ultrasound tech told showed me a very strong heartbeat. I'm on my fifth pregnancy and have never been pregnant this long, let alone been able to see a heartbeat.
Hopefully it all works out! Excellent news, especially after trying for so long and so hard.
"I was shocked to find..."
I was one of the winners of a congressional art contest back in 2014. The contest involved every American state district and territory and the representatives that oversaw them would choose one student submission from each district as the winner. They displayed the art in the Cannon Tunnel in D.C. for a full year and invited the students to D.C. to visit the Representatives.
My submission was my first attempt with professional acrylic paints and I had only entered because my teacher insisted I did.
I was shocked to find that I won and it was one of the rare moments I felt overwhelming pride in something I did. The experience as a whole was so surreal and I often question if it even happened. Even meeting the representative in person felt unreal and I remember him saying how my painting "embodied our state's pride" in his eyes.
I started painting with acrylics more after that and it's now one of my favorite mediums. They sent the painting back with its frame after the year ended and I still have it in my room.
This is wonderful!
It looks like your life went in an interesting and happy direction after that.
"Now going on 11 years..."
Retirement at age 61 after 41 years on a job that I never really liked. Now going on 11 years of a totally peaceful and relaxing life.
"Then I remember..."
This is such a cliché, but when I fell in love. I wrote in another comment earlier today about being in a few long-term relationships in my twenties. All great men, all would have made great partners, and I loved each one; but when it came to talking about marriage I clammed up and the relationship would end soon after. I thought I had intimacy issues or something.
Then I met the man that I was meant to be with. Someone that I didn't just love, but was in love with. Being with him are some of my happiest memories. Yet, the happiest thing to happen to me wasn't falling for him, it was being loved by him. It was so complete and beautiful, when you finally understand what people have been writing novels and poems and songs about.
He later died from cancer. I sometimes read or hear how we, as humans, rewrite history. I've wondered, momentarily, if that's what I've done. Then I remember those feelings. I had felt like I found the one, that person that was right for me. All those years of wondering if I just couldn't love, if something was wrong with me. It was just a matter of finding the right person.
That was... gorgeous.
Utterly gorgeous.
There's something to be said about moments like these and how they change who we are as people. They have the capacity to alter our entire approach to life.
Have your own experiences to share? Feel free to sound off in the comments below.
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