To remind ourselves how much good is in this world, we asked readers on Instagram to share photos of joyful moments. Here are nine that made us smile…
Above: “While heading over to a neighbor’s house, I realized my kids and I were all in stripes, and my husband snapped this photo with everyone smiling. Proof of (happy) mom.” —Layne
“Seeing my novel! In actual shops! It’s called Creep: A Love Story and comes out in the U.S. later this month. (The U.K. title is different.) I wrote it over many years — with a full-time job and two children — and still can’t believe I did it. Someone told me they’d ordered a copy to *the* Books Are Magic. I could hardly contain myself.” — Emma
“My husband’s barber gave our 22-month-old son, Omari, his first haircut. I caught on camera the moment he saw himself in the mirror, looking so proud.” — Sarah
“I’ve taken up needle felting, a popular handicraft where I live in Kyrgyzstan. The top photo shows the moment I finished my first tapestry. It was late, and my mirror was smudgy, but I couldn’t wait to photograph the finished result. It’s been a delight to find my artistic medium at nearly 40, and the work has been a welcome break from ::gestures:: all of this.” — Dot
“We adopted Walter — the big fluffy cat with outstretched arms — exactly a year ago. We found him at a Manhattan shelter, bone-thin, sick, and stressed. His foster mom assured us there was a good cat lurking inside. After several months of him biting and scratching both humans and his cat brothers, we wondered if we’d made the wrong decision (I’m sorry, Walter!). But he just needed a little extra time. Look at him now. Cats can change, and it gives me hope that humans can, too?” — Tricia
“My two-year-old daughter, Margrete, was recently prescribed glasses. Our family’s new delight is hearing her proclaim, with sincerity and surprise, ‘I can see!’ every morning when I put them on her.” — Holland
“I snapped this photo on Thanksgiving Eve, which was our first holiday as a family of six. My husband and I got married this past summer, blending our four kids into one big, messy, love-filled crew. When I got divorced, the hardest part was letting go of the shame-driven idea that I had ruined our ‘family.’ But somewhere along the way, ‘family’ started to feel less like a fixed idea and more like something that could change and grow. Then the real magic happened: watching all four kids fall in love with each other. It’s the gift of my lifetime.” — TK
“My friend and I recently traveled to Quebec. As soon as we arrived, we strapped on cross-country skis and made our way through soft, powdery snow. I was so filled with joy that I dove into the snow to make a snow angel, something I hadn’t done since childhood. Now, when I start feeling down, I look at the photo and feel light all over again.” — Thaïs
“Two years ago, I sent in a selfie of my son and me at school drop-off. Now, I can’t help sending another. I’m holding onto these kids and their relentless joy. May we all find happiness every day, even if it’s making an aggressive phone call to the White House comment line (202-456-1111).” — Katherine
What joyful moments have you had recently? We’d love to hear.
P.S. 11 more readers share happy moments, and “my favorite part of my wedding.”
