The Capacity for Delight

I love when a similar idea finds me from multiple directions. It’s like the universe is gently nudging me to pay attention to something.

Last week, I came across these quotes:

“Be interested in big things and happy in small ways.” – Edith Wharton

“The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.” – Julia Cameron

And then I saw this Instagram post:

Different sources, same message.

Pay attention to the small delights of life.

But actually… I think there’s a deeper message here…

The small things aren’t small.

I especially love Julia Cameron’s idea that the quality of life is in proportion to our “capacity for delight.”

We spend so much time measuring our lives by the big things – milestones, accomplishments, titles. But perhaps another measure of a life is our capacity for delight. Our ability to notice and savor the ordinary moments that make up our days.

Maybe the question we should be asking ourselves isn’t, “Am I happy?“

But instead, “How available am I to delight?” 

There have been seasons where life has been objectively hard, and yet I was still available to delight. In fact, I think that’s what I love most about this question. It reminds me that joy isn’t something we experience only when everything is going right. Sometimes it’s found in the smallest moments of an otherwise ordinary – or even difficult – day. And when I’m not available to delight? That’s usually a sign that something is off kilter and I need to look inward. 

Consider two people going through the exact same Monday.

Both wake up to an alarm clock. Both answer emails. Both fold laundry, make dinner and move through the ordinary responsibilities of life.

But one person notices the way the morning light comes through the kitchen window. They take a moment to appreciate their first sip of coffee. They laugh at something a coworker says. They pause to admire the flowers blooming in the yard or the 4th of July decorations on their street. They feel grateful for a walk after dinner.

The other rushes from one thing to the next and misses it all. After all, it’s just a Monday. There’s work to do, places to be and a weekend to look forward to.

The difference in these two scenarios isn’t that one person has a better Monday.

The difference is attention – and noticing that the small things aren’t so small after all.

So as you move through your Monday, here’s a question:

What small delights will you find today?