Arrivals of Joy

Many arrivals make us come alive with joy:
A child’s head emerging from the mother’s womb,
Its first cry, and the satisfying sigh after being fed.
An oak tree unfurling new leaves in spring,
The cherry tree blossoming into perfection,
A sapling pushing through moist soil after rain,
The sunbird’s eggs hatching, the cry of hatchlings,
A sweet melody heard for the very first time,
A Mozart symphony returning like an old friend,
The newborn calf rising to walk almost at once,
A hen laying her egg, then running to announce it,
The red rose in your garden flowering for the first time,
A man and woman falling in love at first sight—
These are simple things that make us happy.
These are the wonderful gifts that nature has given us.
We don’t need wealth or luxury to be happy,
if we learn to find joy in simple things.