My third joy tidbit can be found by reveling in daily rituals and embracing the power of tiny giggles.

Like so many during the pandemic, our family discovered the enjoyment of Wordle.
We began a dedicated text thread to share our triumphs and folly. Then we added Connections and, soon after, the newest game called Strands.

This small ritual of playing word games and sharing our results has become an anticipated daily delight. We can tend towards being a competitive family; however, over time, this bent has vanished for the sake of community.

There isn’t any pressure to play. One member doesn’t play anymore but is willing to help someone stuck. Another is buried under school deadlines, but texts come to our thread when it is apparent that a break in studying is a welcome relief. 

If this joy tidbit series doesn’t illustrate how easy it can be to make me happy, this next part will do the trick. 

At the end of last year, I was perusing the Apple Watch face gallery and discovered the Snoopy themes. 

I love the amount of data my watch provides at a glance, but sometimes I simply want a watch. I decided to experiment and uploaded the Peanuts face. 

My family can testify to how much I love seeing Snoopy and Woodstock when I tap on my watch.

I worried the animation would drain my battery, but it seems unaffected.

Upon deciding to write about this joy, I did a little research, and there are 148 different Peanuts animations.

I also discovered that many others share my happiness.

I won’t spoil the fun, but I recently experienced Snoopy’s Sunday Surprise firsthand.

This watch face has made me giggle like a child, a wondrous way to feel.

I love gentle humor. My favorite example is Liz Climo. 

Years ago, Caleb and I spent an unplanned half-hour reading cards at Target, a new-to-us cartoonist.

For Christmas, I bought Liz Climo’s daily calendar for my daughters, Carlen and Courtney, and me. We had spent years sharing her Instagram posts.

Every time I flip over to a new day’s cartoon, a small smile or giggle sprinkling joy from the very first moment of the day.

Do you have daily rituals that bring joy?

Do you appreciate a giggle as much as a full-out belly laugh?

Keep scouting for tidbits of joy strewn across your days.