I read that happiness really comes in moments. Following fellow writer Tara Lynne Goth’s lead, I thought it would be a good exercise to jot down those moments in 2014. I thought I’d get to thirty and then have to check Facebook for reminders of my year. But I got to 56 without any prompting, and it was a happy moment when I realized I could go on and on about this!

So without further ado, some of my many happy moments of 2014–with apologies for those I missed. I can already hear my mother saying, “How could you forget ______?”

1. Sitting on the chaise lounge on my screened in porch reading a book with my babbling brook as background music.
2. The moment I walked in the door to our twice yearly writing retreats to be greeted by the smiles and shrieks and hoorays of my fellow writers.
3. Every moment I sat on the porch talking to Lois, Lynne, and Stacey on aforementioned writing retreats.

   

4. The look on Bethany’s face when the priest announced that she was officially married to my brother Jeffrey.
5. Sitting on the patio at Atlanta Bread Company with Michael on the first warm day of spring, just after divesting myself of a pint of blood, having a conversation about joining his family on a Mediterranean cruise and deciding that we’re not the kind of people who hop a plane across the Atlantic and stay for only ten days.
6. The moment we received the confirmation e-mail that our flights to Europe had been booked.

7. 

   The moment I finally reached the Cathedral in Santiago–after having walked more wet and lonely days than I imagined I would.

8. When I showed up at the hostel the first night of this year’s Camino to find the door locked and learning the other woman approaching was also looking to stay there, so I wasn’t alone in trying to figure out how to get into the place.

9. 

   The moments I spent in the bicycle shop in Esposende sitting in comfy chairs talking to the owner (Manuel Rocha) with his employees and customers serving as translators, finally coming into contact with people who not only knew about the coastal route of the Camino Portuguese  but had also ridden it and were instrumental in building its infrastructure.

10. The moment Manuel gave me a scallop shell for my pack listing all the towns along the Coastal route.

    

11. All the moments I used Google Translate (off-line!) to communicate with the Portuguese.
12. The moment Michael realized his pack had been stolen and I had recovered it (which was one and the same moment).
13. The moment I met Michael’s family for the first time in the KK Picasso Hotel in Barcelona.
14. The moment I figured out how to use Facetime on my new iPad to talk to my parents.
15. The first time I called my parents from France via Facetime.
16. Seeing Rémy again—and how all those memories of my first Camino and his kindnesses along the way came flooding back.
17. Meeting Rémy’s wife Jeanine–a wonderful woman who understands her husband’s need to head off alone for a few weeks each year to walk the French and Spanish countryside with strangers who soon become friends.

    

18. The moment I realized that the first time in my life I’d be living with a boyfriend would be three days before he and I took off for three months in France.
19. Every moment Michael did the dishes.
20. Every moment in the open-air markets in France.

    

21. Every moment spent speaking French–especially on the Camino and with Remy and Jeanine.
22. Every moment spent in Jane Henriques’ art class in Ceret, France.
23. Every moment I opened the shutters in our apartments to see a French city street below me.

24. 

    Every moment I held the warm bread from the boulangerie in Aix.

25. Every moment I ate the bread from the boulangerie in Aix.
26. Moments spent sitting with Michael watching the people go by in Aix, Vannes, Ceret, Coulliere.
27. The moment we saw Ben in the Asheville Airport–knowing we were finally home.
28. The moments I spent talking to Laura and Chris via Skype while they sat in Laura’s hospital room.
29. The first moment I stood in front of a class of foreign students and began teaching them English.
30. The moment I learned the concept of student-centered learning and realized the next time I teach me and my students will have an even better experience.
31. The moments each morning when I wake up to a man who is happy, and happy to see I’m awake (because he wakes up hours before I do).
32. The moment I realized my boyfriend was bringing more bags to France than I was (a little selfish, I know).
33. The moment Chris and Esther offered their home to Michael and I for the months after we returned to Asheville.
34. The moment I realized Meg was going to get to live a dream she had told me about years ago.
35. Every moment Ava and Bella screamed “Aunt Becky!” and ran to hug me.
36. The moment I finished transcribing hours of interviews I did with my grandmother quite a few years ago.
37. Every moment spent cooking with Mom the day before Thanksgiving.
38. The moment Michael played the first few notes on his trumpet in the businesses in Schroon Lake for the Olde Time Christmas–the look on everyone’s faces as they stopped to listen.
39. The moment Michael showed me the homemade Chocolate Creme Pie he made me for my birthday (which he managed to get to Montreal all in one piece).

    

40. The moment Michael told me how he stopped at a Dunkin Donuts on his way to Montreal with the aforementioned pie and asked them to write “Happy Birthday Boo Boo” on it.
41. The moment I opened the package delivered to me on my birthday and found it was macaroons from Michael. (No–not the coconut ones. If you don’t know which ones I’m talking about, OMG–go find some and you will never be the same.)
42. The moment I tried Michael’s mushroom risotto for the first time (and every moment I ate it thereafter).
43. The moment Dad realized I bought a TV so that when he visited he could watch the Olympics. (It was the smallest TV the poor man has probably ever seen, and was returned a couple weeks later despite Dad assuring me that I’d get used to having one.)

    

44. Every moment Michael made me laugh–and there are lots of them.

    

45. Every moment Michael made my mother laugh.
46. The moments Jessica called to ask for my advice.
47. Every moment I look at the birthday card from Jessica that sits on my dresser, the front of which says, “Thanks for being born.” Of course, I had no control over my birth, but still, I like the sentiment.
48. Every moment someone says, “That Michael–he’s a good catch.” And I realize they’ve only seen a small part of what makes him wonderful.
49. Every moment I spent writing.
50. Every moment I spent teaching. Especially the moment at the end of a two hour tutoring session with a first-time student when she said how helpful I was and gave me a big hug.
51. Hiking with Jan.
52. Having lunch with Bernice Ende— a woman riding her horses back and forth across America whom I read about in the local paper and e-mailed to say, “You sound awesome. I want to meet you.” And she said yes.
53. The moment Liz called to ask me to crochet her some more wreaths for the knobs on her kitchen cabinets. The irony of the fact that the sister who used to call me “Granny” whenever I crocheted now calls me to request such things is not lost on me.
54. Every moment spent in a class with Barbara Waterhouse.
55. Every moment spent in a Celebration at the Center for Spiritual Living in Asheville.
56. Every moment spent catching up with friends and family after my return from Europe.
57. Every moment someone commented on a blog post I wrote. Brings a smile to my face every time.

Oh wow. I could go on forever here. Thanks Tara Lynne for the idea. What a great way to start a Tuesday.