172: The Difference Between Happiness and Joy

Inspired by the book Joy Even On Your Worst Day by Tom Are, Jr.

Happiness is

this seasonal latte is delicious

thank you for bringing me flowers

I have never felt more myself in this sweater

the dog sliding to meet me at the door

the rain pausing while you walk to the subway

the last page of a book

the smell of coming home.

Happiness is

bursts of

“this is beautiful”

and “I am grateful.”

Joy is

we have student loans

we are new to town

the chicken went bad in the fridge

the hair around your part just won’t lay flat

but still you take my hand

and we dance in the kitchen

because love knows our name

and we have each other

and at the end of the day,

that’s all the beauty we really need.