Rediscovering joy in the small things

Hey fellow meditator,

This summer I spent time with my partner’s family and her nieces. Being around children reminded me how open and curious they are. Everything feels new to them, free of judgement, and even the simplest moments spark joy.

One evening, I handed my niece my camera. When she saw her photo appear on the screen, she lit up with laughter and delight. Watching her, I was taken back to the very first time I picked up a camera in school, developing prints in the darkroom and feeling as if I’d captured something magical.

With time, that magic grew familiar. I still love photography, but that small moment reminded me of the first spark and how easy it is to overlook the beauty in things we’ve grown used to.

You may have felt this too, whether with a hobby, a ritual, or something in your surroundings that has become part of the background.

An exercise for finding a familiar joy:

As you move through your week, choose one familiar thing in your life that you truly appreciate. It could be a sound, a song you love, a favorite food, a hobby, or a simple daily habit. Pause with it for a moment and imagine experiencing it for the very first time. Can you touch that feeling of appreciation and joy again? What does it feel like in your body, in your breath?

Notice its details as if they are brand new, and allow yourself to rest in the feeling it brings. Then, each time you encounter it over the next few days, invite that spark of wonder to return. Joy and gratitude for the small things are always within us; sometimes we just need to slow down and reconnect.

Care to share your familiar thing? Hit reply and let me know; I’d love to know what it is.

Until next time,

May we be free from suffering, and may we touch joy in the simple things.

Marco Angelo