To ask if you've ever experience a moment of pure happiness?

[PaddleBoardingMomma]

I'm talking unadulterated pure bliss, a moment in life you just knew there and then was what real happiness felt like, a moment captured in time you can look back on now and still feel joyous about? If so... please share :)

I've never felt it, not that "perfect" moment any way. I'm beginning to wonder if it's happened and I didn't appreciate it, or if it's just never happened for me. Maybe other peoples stories might help me decide the answer on that one!

It was a really odd moment to have it. I had taken my teenage children to Frankie and Bennys for breakfast they were teasing each other. The sun was shining through the window and I had this moment off utter pure bliss.

Dd1 looked at me and said "you have this look of like you are really proud of us." I replied " I am you 4 are the best thing that ever happened to me"

It wasn't pride though it was just a moment of utter bliss.

I felt it when dd2 was born too like uttee euphoria I had done it (homebirth) I looked up at dh and said "I want to do that again" (never did do that again) and everyone laughed.

I have a memory of being age 7 or 8 and walking the dogs with my step granddad and my reaching up to hold his hand as we looked out over the landscape. Utter bliss. I still think Lønstrup in Denmark is the most beautiful place.

Yep, myself and friends were at a concert of our favourite artist - we'd been to loads and it was the final date of the tour.

We were asked up on stage to sing, and afterwards the artist hugged all of us.

It's a while ago now but I still remember that moment as being the happiest moment of my life. Sheer joy, absolute happiness in the moment.

I've since achieved lots of things in life, and had kids etc . Whilst there have been amazing, life changing events and experiences that I wouldn't change, that moment, up on stage, remains the happiest of my life!

[quote shouldistop]@JennyWren87 congratulations [/quote]
Thank you x

Yes, and it sticks in my mind always. I was 20, and on my first holiday abroad with newish boyfriend. I was lying on a lilo in the really calm sea, and looked down and the sea was so clear and I could see right to the bottom, it was just so beautiful all around me and I just thought, wow. Up to that point it was the absolute happiest most contented moment of my life. I've had these moments since but that one trumps them all I think for how significant it felt.

When I started seeing my DP, we hadn't been dating very long. He took me away for the weekend to my favourite city, stayed in a beautiful little lodge, had dinner in my favourite restaurant and were having drinks in one of my favourite bars. Was a bloody nice evening, and DP was being wonderful company, when he suddenly asked to leave right away. So we rushed out and down the road, and made it just in time to watch a small fireworks display, cuddled up together, my head leaning back on his shoulder so I could see the whole thing. Never felt so cared for and at peace before. A feeling he's evoked many times since. I feel pretty bloody lucky.

There are so many wonderful, uplifting experiences shared here, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read them. What flows through the thread is appreciation, gratitude, and love, and also having the time and space to do that. The writer, Kurt Vonnegut once said (and I’m paraphrasing here) that if we were having a good time, or doing something that made us feel happy, we should stop and savour the moment rather than rushing past it. Sometimes it’s wonderful to press pause and just say to yourself or someone else, “Well, isn’t this lovely?”

Concert - Idlewild - fabulous guitars - at one with the universe. Pure joy.

Concert - The Gloaming - every time.

I am quite a positive person I wonder if that's makes a difference as I consciously like to see the good in everything.

Obviously the children being born, when you hear them cry and those tears of happiness flowing just looking at them.

With my second in the hospital just me and him I remember just holding him on my bed and so much love and happiness starting at him.

Walking the dog in our favourite spot in the woods - I always feel peace walking there I don't know why it just calms me even when I'm feeling so stressed.

Reading a book in the garden while the kids play.

So many more I can't write them all but these are my stand out things.

Yes. Usually when I am travelling or on top of a mountain. When I complete a climb or walk to a summit. There is just no feeling like looking down on the world below.
And the opposite - I get a similar feeling when I lay down sunbathing in the garden or a beach, floating in a swimming pool, or laying in the garden looking at shooting stars, looking up.
I clearly don't like horizontal viewpoints

Oh yes, listening to live music is a good one!

I think reading this it's very clear that none of us can know what another person means by happiness. I have moments of happiness and complete contentment with the world. I think that sometimes the worse the bad times, the easier it is to recognise and celebrate the happiness when it hits you.

But even better than that, I sometimes have moments of pure joy. Often when I'm doing something creative or am particularly focussed. The two are different for me and the joy is on another level.

Definitely lots of moments with my children. Just cuddling or watching them laugh at something.

Driving a Truck and listening to my Techno playlist! Not much tops that for me!

Sitting on public transport talking to dd. She is such cheerful, happy and easy going company. I am serious person who rarely laughs. But we giggle together and it is pure joy.

2 spring to mind.

When my now DH proposed. wanted it for so long and I felt so euphoric with a beautiful future mapped out before me.

The second was when my baby twin DD latched onto my boob for the first time. I'd breastfed my older children but I'm certainly not a diehard bfing evangelist but assumed I'd give it a go with the twins and see where it led us. I had a traumatic birth ending in emcs under ga and they spent time in scbu, tube feeding etc so I assumed that bfing was a write off with the odds stacked against us. My girl twin was a tiny dot and very weak and floppy to begin with but she latched on like an absolute pro on day 4 and never looked back. After all the medical interventions it felt like the most natural thing in the world, an amazing feeling.

When I was about 6 years old, walking home from the crib service at the church on Christmas Eve with my mum and siblings - got to the corner of our road and I remember looking up at the sky, it was a really clear, cold inky blue night and the stars were properly out and twinkling. I knew Father Christmas was up there somewhere (!) and I felt this rush of magical feeling, like the air around me was literally crackling with magic. It was this perfect feeling of happiness and excitement and magic. Life through the eyes of a 6 year old.

Yesterday morning. Several days' worth of lentils, beans, celery and olives all wanted out at the same time, which just coincided with both DC's being happily occupied. It was one of those dumps which required no effort at all, just kind of noisily fell out of me for about ten seconds leaving me elated with relief and pride. I could feel my tummy contracting for about two minutes after that. Barely any wiping. And could buckle up my belt a hole tighter.

Almost danced out of the toilet with euphoria. It made the smell almost bearable, although the other occupants of the house strongly disagreed.

This is a lovely thread. My wedding day was pure joy from start to finish I wish I could’ve bottled it.

I also remember looking at my baby in her cot the first time in hospital and genuinely feeling the oxytocin pumping around my body it was incredible. That was overwhelming, pure happiness.

Oh and another… I’d always wanted to go to Disney world. I finally went with my boyfriend, now husband, when we were about 20 and I remember walking through the entrance being so excited and happy!

When I was 5, standing in the front garden by myself with the sun beaming down. A moment when I needed nothing from anyone. Pure happiness.
At Slane, watching U2 in 2001 when they played it's a beautiful day.
Just after giving birth to my daughter.

Yes the first time I can remember was when DH and I got married and came back down the aisle with all our friends and family behind us. I got to the church door and looked outside and I thought this is it, if I die now I don’t care because I have got everything I’ve ever wanted. It was magical.

I’ve had it a few times since having DS, he is just fabulous I could burst with pride and love so many times. Perfection.

Yes. A few years ago I had a horrid kidney infection and ended up in hopstal with sepsis. For a few days I thought I might die but very happily I responded to treatment. Coming home after 10 days and waking up in my own bed the following morning feeling well was a very very special moment for me

Sometimes if I do both DCs bedtime alone I do it in our bed, one each side of me. They snuggle in and I feel soo peaceful and loved.

Sometimes on an evening after work when DC are playing in garden and I sit on the wall and look at our amazing view I feel relaxed and peaceful and lucky and happy and I forget to worry which I do incessantly.

Peace to me is utter happiness I guess

This makes lovely reading....