In early September we asked you, “What was the happiest day of your life?” We’ve watched your submissions trickle in, and wanted to share some of them with you. In these dark, chaotic times, we all deserve a smile.
From Sharon James. Best day of my life? It was the day I got my first horse in 1987 at age 39. As a child, I grew up with Sky King, Fury, and My Friend Flicka. Every Christmas, I entered the Sears and Roebuck’s contest for a pony after visiting Santa. Northpoint Fortune was my dream come true. We won lots of ribbons in horse shows but the best times were in the barn at night, Fortune munching hay, the smell of fresh hay, and the sound of rain on the barn’s tin roof. Fortune got me through the rough times of my divorce and my mother’s death. One of the worst days of my life was the day I had to put him down at age 13. Life was not the same and I could not find another horse to take his place. In the last 8 years, I discovered campers. I am not much of a traveler and certainly not as a single. But now I have a camper set up on a friend’s horse farm an hour away from home and it’s the next best thing to having another horse. It affords me privacy, not having to impose on my friend’s hospitality, and I get my “horse fix” every chance I get. Life is good even in these difficult times. There are all different ways to RV, and this is perfect for me.
From Lisa Adcox. My happiest day is TODAY. Why? I am alive, I am well, I have today ahead to see new things and reflect on old things. I get to plan my short-term goals and think about my long-term goals. I get to enjoy this day, today, and think about what I will do tomorrow that will become my new TODAY. Was the birth of my children a happy occasion? Oh, yes. Was my wedding a happy day? Of course, very happy. And on those days it was my TODAY. Today is my happiest day. I get to wake up, have a cup of coffee and plan my day with my sweetie.
From Thom Corwin. What is the happiest day of my life? Well, I am a generally happy person, so there have been many happy days. A few come to mind: the day my best girl said, “yes”; the day my daughter was born; the day I retired from active duty; and on and on. As I sit here reflecting on the “most happiest” day of my life, I realize that all those were happy beginnings; the start of a marriage; the start of a new life; and the start of a new adventure. But the day I remember being the most happy is the day I returned from 12 months of wartime service in Iraq because so many happy moments occurred in a single day. I left the desert and danger behind. I returned home. I rejoined my family. Maybe it is my happiest because of what ended as opposed to what began.
From Karen Barrett. There are different stages of “happiest.” At 5 years old, my mother retrieved me from my grandparents. At 12, she sent me to live with bio-father to protect me. At 15 she took me back. At 18 I won two awards, one to NC Radio TV Institute, one to study with Carolina Playmakers. In 1973 I got out of an abusive marriage. In 1990 I married my high school sweetheart (should have in 1960). Celebrated 30 (legal) years 5/5/20, and each day with him is “happiest” (whether RV traveling or sitting still). How do you “choose just one”? If any of those had been “different,” all would have probably changed. So – one could say each day I wake up is the “happiest.”
Karen in Central Florida on the Corner of Hither-N-Yon.
From Deb Treneff. Marrying my husband was my happiest day, and that happiness was increased when we made a trip to Scotland last year with my sister and her husband to visit the country where my paternal grandmother was born and raised. We were able to walk the street where she grew up. A lifetime desire met! Scotland is so beautiful and I would love to go back. It meant so much to me to be there, and sharing the experience with those I love was amazingly special.
From Ann P. The second happiest day of my life was November 1, 2008. It was the day I married the love of my life, a woman I had been, at the time, living with for 12 years. Until the summer of 2008, when a judge suddenly made gay marriage legal in California, I never really, truly, expected to get married. It was just something that wasn’t open to us. The ruling was sudden and somewhat unexpected. We looked at each other at dinner that first night, and without really discussing it, started planning the wedding. Besides our own wedding, we went to a half-dozen other weddings that summer, as friends who had been with their partners for decades raced to make things legal.
The happiest day, though, was June 26, 2013. That was the day that the Supreme Court ruled on the United States v. Windsor, striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, and making our marriage legal at the federal level. That day, we went from having a weak sauce, complicated marriage, sanctioned by the state but not the feds, to really being married, with all the privileges, rights, and responsibilities that straight couples have always taken for granted. That ruling changed everything for us. Besides finally being able to file a single, joint tax return, qualifying for Social Security spousal benefits, and being able to inherit from each other without complications, it just felt different. We were finally MARRIED.
From Jerry X Shea. Let’s be real here. At 77 I have had many happiest days of my life. I was beaming the day I joined the Navy. Can also say the same the day I got my discharge papers. How happy was I the day I bought that boat? That happiness was outdone the day I sold it.
Sure, just like everyone, there have been many happy days in my life. But if I had to pick just one, one day in all 77 years of life, it would have to be the day Mary said, “YES, I’ll marry you.” Well, wait a minute. Now that I think back on that day, she actually said “Oh, for crying out loud! All right then, I’ll marry you.” Such a loving response.
Truth be told, she turned me down three times. The first time she said, “Oh, Jerry, I have to say NO, you’re a nice guy but _____.” BUT … I got the BUT. Are you kidding me? Her reason was simple. She had been married before for 10 years, had 4 kids, and just didn’t want to get married again.
So I did what any good gentlemen would do. I waited another month and asked her again, and got the same response. Same thing the following month. Then, on the 4th month, after finally giving in, we got married two weeks later in a very simple ceremony.
So was that the happiest day of my life? Sure it was, and that day has lasted 47 years and counting.
From Susan Purdy. My best day was at a quilt show in Phoenix, AZ, at the fairgrounds. I had been working on my business for approx. 3 years and it was slowly growing. I was a vendor at this show and my most memorable moment was: I was in my booth explaining my product (iron-on rhinestone designs) and I had so many ladies around me that they had backed me into the corner of my booth and at that moment, I knew that my business would succeed. I’ve gone back to that moment in time many times over the years and it still gives me chills. It was magical.
What was the best day of your life? Tell us your story by filling out the form below. Feel free to include a photo too.
Oh, and a suggestion. Copy what you write and email it to your children or family members who care about you. They will likely love hearing about this special moment in your life.
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Up there with the rest of my happiest days was on Saturday 11/7/2020 around 11:00 eastern time.
These are wonderful.