Day 180: Delight

Yesterday afternoon my attention was caught by the sound of child giggles drifting through my open window.

Naturally, I went to investigate. 

I saw a little girl playing fetch with a neighbor dog in the back alley while her mom talked with the dog's owner.

Every time she threw the ball peals of laughter would erupt. Her delight in watching the outcome of her effortful throw followed by the dog taking flight was palpable. 

Whoa, when did I start grinning so widely? 

I felt like I could stand there for days, just watching this child play. 

Then I found myself thinking, "I bet this is one of the first times she's done this. I wonder if playing fetch with a dog is a new experience for her?"

The little girl eventually started chasing the ball herself, overcome with excitement in everything that was happening.

As a got my fill of observational-back-alley-window-creeping, I thought about how I personally recognize delight and experience it in my own life. This brief deconstruction revealed a number of details and [true to me] truths I hadn't before realized, such as:

I love the feeling of delight so much because it feels like you're experiencing something for the first time.

It doesn't matter if it's brand new or old hat - when you are delighted by something, there is such a sense of surprised joy. It's a single moment (or experience) that fills you with joy so instantly and unexpectedly, it surprises you.

And it's a wonderful surprise - probably the best feeling you could ever imagine - in a quick flash.

Much like a verbal exclamation of 'ouch!' (or other expletive) is the instant pain reaction to touching a hot pan, giggles are the joy reaction to delight.

Delight comes from the lack of expectations; being open to whatever the experience brings.
And it's when the unexpected occurs, that the magic happens.