A friend of mine told me about a short story earlier this week, and I was immediately struck by its simplicity and truth. It’s a conversation between an old man and his younger self.

The old man was disappointed, almost regretful. He did not fulfill his dream or achieve anything special, so he apologized to the younger version of himself. However, his younger self was not worried about these things.

Have you bought the latest album by your favorite singer? The kid asked. Have you gotten ice cream every weekend? The old man nodded. It was clear that these tiny things that made his day were just as important to the younger version of himself. What the kid cared most about were the tiny beautiful things.

If my younger self could speak to me now, I imagine she would ask:

Have you found love? Have you eaten dan dan noodles every week? Have you got the chance to see the ending of Detective Conan? To which I’d say, Yes. Not quite. No. No excuse, but the last one is outside of my control.

What would your younger self ask you?

As we grow up and get busy with work and life, it can be easy to lose sight of the tiny things that once brought us happiness as children. When we were younger, our happiness was often derived from small, everyday moments – playing with friends, eating ice cream on a hot summer day, or curling up with a good book.

As we get older, these simple pleasures may no longer seem like enough. We may start to feel pressure to achieve certain milestones or to meet certain expectations. We may focus on work or other things that will bring us happiness. But in reality, these external factors often do not bring true happiness. Happiness often comes down to the tiny beautiful moments in life.

Look back or look forward,
the choice is yours to make.
But in either path you take,
there is simple happiness to find.

Look back on memories,
of laughter and love so true.
Remember the moments,
that brought a smile to your face.

Or look forward to the future,
to all the joy that lies ahead.
Embrace the unknown,
with an open heart and mind.

Either way, the key is to find
the beauty in the present moment.
For it is here, in the now,
that true happiness is bound.

So let go of regret and worry,
and choose to live with grace.
For it is in the simple things,
that true joy and contentment take their place.

So, I ask you, what tiny beautiful thing have you done for yourself today?

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