10 Readers Share Their Happy Moments

Life isn’t easy, so sometimes we like to highlight the things that make it sweet. We asked readers on Instagram to share photos of good times, and here are 10 that made us weepy…

Above: “Here’s a selfie with my niece, Juniper, poolside at my parents’ house. The chaos of my big family, with all my siblings and their kids, is my happy place!” — Justine

“The other evening, I was very happily putting the finishing touches on my first solo exhibition in Brooklyn and feeling so proud of the work.” — Allie

“My sweet rescue puppy was diagnosed with kidney disease in March, shortening her life span. I was absolutely crushed and wanted to make the rest of her life the happiest it could be. One month later, we walked into the dog park, and my pup ran directly to a pit bull… and his VERY cute owner. We learned we were both single, 32, and Greek, and we began dating. I really believe my pup brought this man to me.” — Laura

“Seeing Stevie Nicks in concert! I am a huge fan, and it was a dream come true.” — Sally

“My boyfriend and I were road-tripping across the country. We had been talking about getting married for a while, and we decided to just go for it! Our next stop was Minneapolis, so we made a couple phone calls, talked to the world’s kindest judge clerk, and had an impromptu ceremony.” — Brinda

“I met my best friend when we were eight, and as adults we’ve always lived apart. We have a tradition to spend NYE together, and here I’d flown a thousand miles to meet her in Riding Mountain National Park, where she lived. Temperatures there are so cold (-40) that when you throw water in the air it immediately freezes. We decided to try it out, running out of the warm car for 60 seconds while our husbands captured the moment. Simple joys with our most loved ones, that’s all that matters.” — Amrita

“After years of trying and multiple miscarriages, I found out I was pregnant. But I wasn’t emotionally able to feel excited. The moment they handed my daughter to me, however, all the fear lifted off of my chest and was replaced with love, gratitude, and the weight of her perfect, tiny body.” — Natalie

“I swam my best-ever distance (5km in 2h) at my local pool. I am so proud of myself! All my life, people told me that I need to lose weight to be fit. I believed them for quite a while. Then I started doing my own thing about a year ago and was amazed what my body could do despite being overweight. Today just marks the beginning of an even more body positive journey for me! Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do.” — Kristin

“My son and I take a daily selfie at school drop-off. On his first day of first grade, I asked if he wanted me to walk him in, but he said he knew where to go. I was feeling sad that he didn’t need my help when he said, ‘Wow, I’m in first grade now. I’m so proud of me. Right, Mom?’ Happiness comes in many forms but most often it is from this special person I have the opportunity to raise and cherish.” — Katherine

“This summer, I flew out to see my brother and sister-in-law in Indiana, and it was the happiest reunion. They’d brought a freshly baked loaf of sourdough to the airport, so we pulled into a parking lot for a spontaneous picnic on the back of the car.” — Maddie

What’s been one of your recent good moments? Please share below…

P.S. Readers share their solo travel photos and readers reveal what they love about their looks. Also, happiness vs. wholeness.