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!

When I brought newborn DS home from hospital, DD was 3 and she was cuddling in bed next to me whilst DS was in the Next To Me Crib snuffling away, and I thought “This is the best moment of my life”.

Many small moments similar to those already described

For the first few months of dd's life, waking up in the morning to see her next to me was bliss.

Yes had one tonight. Eldest DD has autism. We made the decision many years ago to make her education our priority. We moved hundreds of miles away from family and friends, gave up two good jobs and started again. We had many hard times and it was very lonely. Other DC loved their upbringing. Eldest DD wanted to go on a particular career path but she didn't have the grades needed. She did numerous courses to boost her grades and eventually got accepted into college. She had a tough time, no friends, classmates isolating her but she kept going. She has to live away during the week. She rang earlier to tell us that she passed all her exams. The only one in her class who did. She's in her final semester now, on work placement. Come the summer she is qualified. I went out with friends tonight for the first time in two years. We're in Ireland, lockdown lifted last Saturday. I came home to find one of my DC's has arrived on an unexpected visit. So tonight as I got into bed beside my DH I had a moment of complete happiness. Eldest DD has done it, my DC's are all under the one roof, I met my friends and I am just so grateful and joyful

So so many.
First date with dh
Second date with dh he told me he was falling in love
Proposal
Wedding
Birth of dd, our last child and it was such a struggle begotten two healthy ones
So many moments with the dc
Holiday in Cornwall when a shoal of whitebait was washed ashore and ds's excitement
Our first holiday in the house that became our home in France

To name but a few

I am loving this thread ❤️ Thankyou @PaddleBoardingMomma for starting it. It is my favourite thread I’ve read this year.

Reading everyone’s posts I feel so connected, even though we’ve never met. Thanks to everyone for sharing, lots of love to you all ❤️

My baby was born 5th November last year and I was tucked up in bed in hospital (the ward was so cosy, I loved being on the ward for three days after she was born, sounds strange I know but all the people were so lovely and it was a lovely bonding experience being with my daughter). I was tucked up in bed that night eating chocolates looking over at my beautiful daughter on the dimly lit ward listening to the fireworks being set off somewhere in the distance. I couldn't believe I was a mum. I just felt absolute happiness and contentment in that one moment. Also leaving the hospital with baby and my partner, there were people and staff saying congratulations down the corridors.. complete happiness and euphoria, again I couldn't believe I finally had a baby at the age of 40.

I have a tendency to be negative so I have had to train myself to notice the happy times. Here are some : watching my dog frolicking in the sea and the joy on his face as he runs towards me with the sun sparkling in his beautiful brown eyes.

The beauty and majesty of the sea at Llangennith beach in the Gower on a sunny morning

Looking at he lovely face of my daughter as she smiles and chats away

Remembering the times that I sat with my mum in the garden with a pot of tea and a nice homemade cake We used to laugh and chat and I remember thinking ‘these are the happy times’. I am so glad that I spent a lot of time with her as she died unexpectedly and we didn’t have a chance to say goodbye I have many happy memories of times spent together

@EmmaGracemum

Has anybody ever had a moment of pure joy like this on their own?

My joy came from feeling connection and happiness with people around me, we were young and single and we were having fun together.
I have now grown up and I don’t have that network any more. I will remain single for the rest of my life and I wonder if that joy is possible going through life alone?

Yes! I'm long term single and plan to be for always, and have pure joy and contentment moments regularly.

With my cats on at least a weekly basis, often out and about with my camera, the day I signed for my studio and the day I first walked into it, four years on I still get fizzes when I am working there and look up and realise it's mine. The first glimpse of the castle at wizard school and the last night of the first run I crewed stand out - I cried happy tears but didn't actually know why I was crying on the way in, it just felt like everything had fallen into place and I'd come home. The very first time I swam in a mermaid tail and countless moments since because it is like flying underwater, there is no feeling like it. There were lots of pure joy moments with my previous beloved car, and I have a wonderful sense of peace and contentment now every time I get out on the river (in a kayak not a car ). I get excited and happy moments most days because the life I'm living now is the one I spent so long trying to create - and those happy moments help to balance the sadness and grief from losing Dad and the other obstacles of life.

My friends and family are epic, but my joy comes from so many other things too.

I've had a few but this sticks out in my mind as a moment that I honestly felt to deliriously happy..Day after bringing DS 2 home from hospital. Me DH DS1 & baby sat on the sofa cooing at baby. DS1 who was 2 starts to count babies fingers and toes. It was just the cutest thing and I remember crying with happiness, contentment and feeling like the luckiest person in the world (probably a bag load of hormones to blame too!) I have some of that moment on video and I've watched it so many times. Always puts a smile on my face.

Ps- lovely thread!

Cheesy but yes regularly when I look at my son. He's 1 and the love of my life. Hearing him giggle at silly things just lights up my whole day.

Watching my husband walk our eldest down the aisle towards her now husband

Yesterday DH and I sat in a bar in the sunshine drinking rose with a view of Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. We had had a short staycation staying in a nice hotel eating good food and were having a last drink before getting the train home, the water was sparkling and I felt pure happiness.

Week 2 of a 3-week family camping holiday by the beach in Southern France. The weather was hazy and warm, there had been a storm the night before and jellyfish littered the beach. We couldn’t go in the sea with DC (aged 3 and 11 months) because of the risk of live jellyfish, but we were just having a lovely walk as a family, with 3-year old DC learning not to touch the jellyfish. On a 10-mile stretch of white sand, completely to ourselves!
I bottled that feeling to remember when I’m feeling down - it was definitely the point of full relaxation that a 3-week break gives you. Have since tried to take 3-week breaks every few years: often to the same place!

I think I am very lucky as I often feel so happy I am moved to tears. I just feel overwhelmingly grateful. I was putting my lovely patterned plates in the dishwasher last night and I just suddenly felt so much appreciation that I have attractive plates, that the kitchen is roomy and warm and that I have a dishwasher. Life hasn’t always been this good and so I really don’t take these kind of things for granted. I also get a lot of rushes of happiness seeing my daughter happy. She is pre-disposed to worrying so when I see her care-free and laughing, it is an amazing rush of happiness. But, in terms of real standout moments, the sunsets in Australia when I went travelling in my 20s were breathtaking and gave me that utter soaring feeling of happiness. Visiting some beautiful churches on holiday in Italy I felt the same.

I had a c-section yesterday and when the doctors showed me my baby girl the moment after they pulled her from my belly a feeling of such profound joy and love over came me. Her purple, wrinkly little body was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

Galloping through monument valley on a horse with a Navajo Native American. I remember flashes of my childhood flying through my head where I’d sat and imagined that exact scenario. I felt like the luckiest person on earth.

@Lola528

I did .. my first visit to Castaway Cay in the Bahamas. Kids were off scuba diving with DH, I was sat in a chair on the beach, half on the white sand, half in water, sun beaming down, toes in the water with fish swimming by (yes, even in the shallows!). Cruise ship off to the left in the distance if I opened my eyes, just such a stunningly beautiful island. Though there were, of course, other people around, I just felt so at peace, so content, so blessed and so happy in that moment that I’ll never ever forget it. Like nothing bad could happen and that it’s where I was meant to be.

Sadly back to reality since .. lol

Great memory though

What a coincidence. My experience was also in the Bahamas. I looked out of my hotel window and there was a beautiful white sandy beach clear blue sea and a solitary palm tree. I know that it is a cliche, but it was truly beautiful and I felt such a sense of peace . I have been to other beautiful beaches, but have never felt that same sense of unadulterated joy

I was 16 and just home from school on a Friday with the weekend to look forward to. I’d changed into my checky shirt & jeans, uniform in the wash, and was sat on the kitchen counter and a great song came on the radio.

Just pure easy happiness that I still remember now.
I don’t know when life got so complicated (and miserable).

I’ve had these sorts of moments many times. I think I’m easily pleased most of time and have an open heart to being happy, as well as being pretty lucky. Being with people I care about, holidays, the sunshine, the sea, being in a beautiful place, when my babies were born, snuggling my dog (before she died).

Since the start of the pandemic though, these moments have been much fewer and farther between. I am really feeling the lack of joy. Life has been more of grind.

When my 18months dd wraps her arms around my neck and and snuggles me I just feel like this is what heaven must be like.

Also once I was hiking in the Lake District on a beautiful summers day. It was so hot and we came across a crystal clear mountain pool. I went wild swimming and got so giddy. It was so cold but I just remember feeling such joy- I didn’t want to get out.

@JennyWren87 congratulations

I must agree with MrsTerryPratchett. Of course, I’ve had moments of pure bliss (doing the most mundane things) but my default mode is easygoing. I go with the flow on life, enjoy everyday activities like eating, relaxing or shopping.
I don’t have any stress or anxiety & I’m lucky to have never had any mental health / physical health issues. I know I’m lucky... Life’s not as free as it was pre-baby, but I love sharing my time with my son (for now, I know that may change as he grows).

My absolute happy place is being in the sea, though. The Med. Diving off a boat, so I can’t see land. It’s the best feeling.

Obviously moments with my kids.
One really memorable moment was at Glastonbury festival watching the sunset over the pyramid & Elbow playing ‘one day like this’ as the sun set being surrounded by thousands of people all experiencing that same moment of collective joy! It was magical!