Everyday Joy Lists

Since so much emphasis is given to bucket lists, we sometimes lose sight of "everyday joy lists". Ready smiles, frequent hugs, joyful greetings, sincere appreciation, deserved compliments, unexpected treats, satisfying tasks, nature's beauty, amazing meals, marvelous memories, special celebrations, minute milestones, spontaneous laughter and lots of love provide daily joy. The bigger the daily joy list becomes, the more we are able to celebrate moments and create memories rather than always anticipating the future.

Well That's Fantastic!

One of my colleagues shared a hilarious story of his 85-year old mother's recent text.  When his son made a great tackle, the family immediately shared a photo with Nana, who was far away.  Nana's quick text response "WTF" alarmed the family, as they knew that this June Cleaver-like woman had no idea of the contemporary understanding of these three letters. 

He was eager to keep her from sharing this text messaging with anyone else before he could have a conversation to explain what was conveyed, and understand what was intended.  When asked what she meant, she excitedly said, "Well That's Fantastic!".

What we mean and what others interpret are often quite different.  Great communication requires checking for common understanding.