33 secret joys

Earlier this afternoon, during the group therapy I offered to trauma survivors and called ''Reboot your Narrative'', I proposed the prompt I have been using for the first session with each new crew since I started this 5 years ago as a fun and blissful icebreaker. Inspired by the book ''Le Sel de la Vie'' (''The Sweetness of Life''), by Françoise Héritier, I invite the participants to create their own list of (at least 20) secret joys. This process is meant to help us tap into our unlimited source of abundance called gratitude. As they were reciting delightful things warming their hearts and putting a smile on their face, I was mentally creating a whole new list for myself. Until I convince you to create your own, here is a sample of my most ''secret joys'':

Receiving a handwritten letter

Lunching with leftovers from the night before 

Friendship dates

The reflection of the rainbow from the beads of the entrance window curtain 

A day that went by without any scam or undesirable call

A loyal blue-ink pen that doesn't bleed

Meeting new people through impromptu guests

The exact item you need now being on sale at the store

Inventing a delicious recipe with an unusual combination of ingredients

Maple syrup in baking and caramel on ice cream

Simultaneous uttering of a word with a loved one

A shared laughing spell that emerges from the soul and showers my entire being with pure joy

Re-reading cute quotes my sons said when they were little

Going to a local play

Feeling transported by a performance on stage

Being able to fall asleep again to continue a pleasant dream after waking up

Improvising a last-minute wrapping concept for a birthday present

Making it to my garage with only 2% left of electric charge

Finding the restroom just in time (especially with people at the edges of the lifespan...)

Catching a flight when you were sure you'd miss it

The warm and wet washing cloths crew members distribute during a long flight

Free wine on a cute mini meal tray during a long flight

A glass of wine already poured for me by a loved one at the end of a long, demanding day

French kisses (fantasized, then tasted, then replayed in my head over and over)

Shivers from a person gently flipping back a clothes' tag under my shirt at the back of my neck

Discovering I still fit in a dress I haven't worn in a decade

The relief from getting my load of dark from the washing machine without seeing fragments of tissue on the fabric

Hearing a song that makes you ecstatic and compels you to dance until you fall from exhaustion

My sister's constant teasing and jocularity since childhood

The enchantingly soft, doll-like texture of my hair after I washed it at my mother's house

Looking at the expressivity of large, gentle hands about to hug me

Viewing the moon through windows and skylights

Drawing the beautiful faces of my children, because to draw is to love, and to love is to draw

Youri (left), Andreas (right) and Kristof (top right)

My friend Jerry (center), with whom I practice the art of the impromptu. As I was hosting a semi impromptu dinner last week, he introduced me to his friend, Rick, AKA Sean Connery :) !