Joy descends gently upon us like the evening dew, and does not patter down like a hailstorm.

Happiness tends to arrive quietly, and it is easy to miss if you are waiting for something loud. It settles in over an ordinary morning, or in the middle of work you did not think was special. Because it makes no noise, you can spend years feeling unhappy while quiet contentment is sitting right beside you, unclaimed.

Try lowering the volume you expect. At the end of a plain day, name one moment that was good without being dramatic. The practice is not forced gratitude; it is learning to recognize a small thing when it settles on you.