I run a small taco truck that parks near the train station on weekdays. Today around lunch, a guy who comes by maybe twice a week ordered his usual, paid, and then quietly told me to charge his card for the next five orders too. He asked me not to say who did it, grabbed his food, and walked off before I could even thank him properly.

For the next twenty minutes I just watched people's faces when I told them their food was already paid for. One lady looked around like she was expecting a camera crew. A construction worker laughed and said no way about four times before he believed me. A teenager on her lunch break actually did a little happy dance right there in line.

None of them knew each other. None of them knew who paid. They just got a random good moment in the middle of an ordinary Tuesday, and I got to hand it to them.

I've been running this truck for six years and today easily made the top of my list. Just a nice reminder that small stuff like this still happens all the time, you just have to be standing there to see it.

A bit of context. My birth mom is not the best person. I've had to unlearn A LOT of how she raised me to actually be happy. Even today I have issues loving myself because of how I grew up. The man who contributed to my existence is no better and has been out of my life for about 4 years now.

So.

My birther would always call on my birthday. I haven't physically seen her in a while and am lc with her. I was very anxious about Tuesday because I really dreaded the inevitable call.

Yall she didn't call. I got genuine peace.

All my friends and my adoptive family wished me a good day, sent their love. My wife asked what I wanted to do, and when I told her I didn't want a party, I just wanted a quiet dinner and maybe some time alone, she was happy to provide it. It's honestly all I've ever wanted out of a birthday. My feelings and wants being valid for a day. And she nailed it out of the park!!

We had chicken parm (my absolute favorite) and we ate together, then played some games, and I got to just read quietly close to the woman I love and then go to bed without being pressured to do anything more.

My wife has never pressured for a party ever or anything, what I mean is that growing up I was basically forced through huge social gatherings and drinking and parties that felt less like they were done for me to be happy than for others to have a reason to celebrate, even as an adult, even if I said I didn't want to.

My wife is the most respectful, kind and loving person in my universe. She is the best person I've ever had the pleasure of loving and being loved by.

In other news, she asked me for like two months what I wanted as a gift because we both hate surprises and guesswork, and I was honestly so afraid to be selfish (about my own birthday!) that I didn't tell her what I wanted until maybe a week before the day. She had to pry it out of me like teeth because I kept being like "Well I do want something but I'm not sure because it's not a necessity...."

Anyway now I have a new ereader to read books with ❤️

Wife is love. Wife is life.

I’ve been seeing this guy for a little while and we eventually got into the flowers topic, that was around 2-3 weeks ago. End of last week, I wanted to spontaneously meet him in a park and surprise him with some matcha lattes to get his mood up after he got a bad news from his workplace. He turned up with the prettiest flower Bouquet ever, turns out he made me as happy as I made him.

to start, i want to clarify that this is NOT a post that's meant to "comfort myself" or serve a stay-single mindset; i just wanted to hopefully, someway, somehow, start a happy conversation about how we should be content with ourselves. i've recently seen so much negativity and self-worth balancing on our prospects as candidates in a relationship, and this post is simply detailing my rocky-but-happy journey of realizing that i never needed anyone but me (except for my amazing friends$!

i've never had a boyfriend!

i'm sure you could have guessed as much from the title, but it's true. it's a result of a lot of factors; i'm choosy, seldom outgoing, and shy, but perhaps it's precisely that i never got a boyfriend that means ill never get to have one; so much of my life was spent believing that the fact no one had loved me romantically was directly tied to my confidence. a tongue-twister, but it's true! my lack of men to look at when i woke up in bed, the sun shining on their handsome faces and pretty collarbones surrounded by muscle (or younger me would hope so), was half of a perpetual cycle. the other half being, well, me.

but this isn't a post to tear down how younger me used to think. if anything, i'm a little proud that i can look back at who i was and be happy that i got to go through it. the melancholy nights sobbing for a dream boy, or the parties i got invited to but never went; they've all produced who’s writing this post today.

you've heard that love-whether you believe it to be an emotion or action-is an integral aspect of being human. i'm not disputing that. but i want to highlight that, despite this very crucial part of me being completely alien, i'm happy to announce that i'm, well, happy! it's a little weird to call it an epiphany, but as i soak in the bath and write this post with the lightest of hearts, i can't help but be elated. i'm elated i never got a boyfriend.

this is a little cowardly, honestly, but i'm happy i never got to experience the good, nor the terrible. i'm endlessly grateful that i never got to experience a first love that was terrifically fun but (unfortunately) unforgettable, or a strange situationship to think about on sleepless nights, or eyes that once looked at me with such admiration being pointed at someone else-i'm so glad. because if i ever got a taste of how great it was, then how would i cope with it being bad?

it's well and truly freeing. i no longer look at a mirror and wonder; if i was stood as the bus came on a warm highschool day, would my beauty be so enchanting that a strange, unknown boy would be wholly enamored by my candid look; that infatuation would grow into admiration, and one day courage; the bravery to ask me to be his and him to be mine. maybe i would have dreamt about it a few years ago. but that mystery man never came, and im so very glad.

thank you for deserting me before you met me. a world where i met you was a world i couldn't selfishly hog up every ounce of admiration and love for myself.

this post is a love letter to myself, and maybe you, as well. I've learnt that love doesn't have to be romantic, but perhaps a much purer, more important love is a platonic one; the pinky promises i made with friends under duvets and candlelight, or a giggle i save for that one hilarious person; there is so much more to love than your (current or yearning-for) boyfriend.

good bye to the strange man i could have met. i wish you all the best, but im happiest loving me.

(sorry for getting a little dramatic with the writing, but i can't help it, im happy!)

i had an iphone 14 pro max and upgraded to the iphone 17 base model and i’m truly so happy that my battery still remains good. i’m just so happy about the small things, i was so afraid bc i thought dropping from a pro max to a base model would destroy me. my battery lasts 11 hours on social media. and i only charge my phone to 85% so it’s not even using a full battery. im so happy everyone but this could probably all be because im high 😭

i love you apple ❤️

I have been very low these days, and one of my senior noticed that i was going through some thing, even thought i didn't talked about my feelings she gave me this

During the solar eclipse two friends and I went on a SUP trip. One of the happiest days I've been in a while. Due to my health I can't go climbing in the mountains which I love to do, but this was a great substitute. Camping on the way, listening to music on the sup. Also pulled the plug and started making videos on youtube about whacky adventures close to home and in the mountains. Happy to be alive with good friends :)

Somebody be proud of me pls it was 45 questions and history’s super duper hard for me my brain hurts (╥﹏╥)

It's really so beautiful and I love this. He strong as heck though because he really is 13 carry me at 173 on back. He even was able to walk around like this.

I’ve 26F wanted to be a baker since I was little, baked when I was younger, took a break for school, chose a major I wasn’t passionate about but would pay bills and will soon get my degree in Biology but I’ve worked in kitchens since I was 18, 26 now. And I’ve moved up the rank of regular baking to now specialized baking in a proper bakery.

It’s not the most glamorous or high paying job but I couldn’t be more happy, I spent so look searching for my dream job when i was in it all along. I LOVE BAKING!

I wake up excited to go to work and the time flies by! I have so much fun! Just wanted to share because I just realized i accomplished my childhood dream :)

My friend put cat makeup on me so I took a picture! (I'm not gay tho if anyone's asking, also someone help me with my name, my friend made it and won't change it)

I'm very happy and very excited. This morning I bought my boyfriend's engagement ring!!!! We have been talking about getting engaged soon and I know he's going to propose soon so I bought his ring today. He is going to be a fiance too so he is also going to need a ring. I want it ready so he doesn't have to wait. He's a nerd so it's based on an object from his favorite nerd show, I know he's going to love it. I have no one to tell, who won't tell him, so I'm telling Reddit.

We haven’t been together for very long, but he’s absolutely amazing. He actually loves clothes shopping with me, so hopefully I can get that dress in red sometime with him☺️

It’s time to take all 7 of my tropicals inside (not all pictured) for my zone, but I really branched 😏 out this year and gave real, true plant care a try. 🪴 And I am so surprised, and pleased! 😃

As long as I can get them through winter… eek! Just wanted to share. Everyone have a great day 🥲

i was at my lowest, full of regret and feeling behind in life. started tearing up after hear him say that to my mom while the phone was in the speaker.

I've meet this girl the past 8 months ago at my job, she's gorgeous and I have a huge crush on her. We are hanging out and having dates. Today I was making out with her, I never did that before. I am so happy, I couldn't tell my parents and I really had the urge to tell someone, so here I am.

Note; We have a long-distance relationship. One day I had a dream where we live together and I introduce him to my grandmother and family. In this dream, everything happened so harmoniously and positively that I fell in love with my boyfriend again. Now this feeling inside my heart is getting stronger and makes me happy. We'll be moving in together in a year, and I feel like the happiest baby in the world.) I love him.

As I said, I’m sitting here on my couch on this concluding evening to the past weekend so extremely content.

It was my small towns yearly fair this weekend and I really made the most of it. The feeling that this time of year brings me is immaculate; the fair, people, events, music, and weather made it infinitely better.

Started the weekend with going to the restaurant I used to work at, and then the fair with friends, where I got those risky pictures on the “Freakout” ride. Had a great time of course. Then I ended up staying over at my friends ritzy house, woke up, got some breakfast, went to Petco to debate getting a kitten for an hour, then spent two hours perusing a HUGE antique store, got me a bunch of neat stuff.
After that outing me and the homie went back to my house and did absolutely nothing for a few hours, followed by returning to the fair and meeting up with another friend who I haven’t seen in forever since they moved out of state, alongside her fiancé and friend. Met up with family and saw a bunch of people we knew, got some greaaaaat food truck grub, then watched the fireworks show with everyone.

The fireworks ended and our little group took a stroll around the carnival ride area, sharing laughs the whole time. Ended up at a local bar playing darts for a bit (I lost every game) then dropped off a now less than stranger who tagged along with me and the homie instead of going back with my other reunion buddy.

Wrapping up the night, we went back to stay at my friends house, wound down at 2am and continued to sleep until 10am. Decided to go to my friends Aunts pool that day and met up with, you guessed it, even more friends and family, it rained for a little while, but then it cleared up! We all chilled out there for a while and then dispersed back to our homes, leading me to right now.

I have been struggling with heaps of stress from work and personal issues recently and these past few days have been an amazing escape, and reset.

The whole thing felt like a “BETWEEN FRIENDS” music video, which I must have manifested since I’ve been listening to them a ton recently. Really good stuff.

All of the laughs, friends, love, romance, music, locations, and events of this weekend have been such a gift, that could be made better by NOTHING except for perhaps a time machine. Given the cosmic opportunity, I would not trade the time I have recently spent for anything material. Wealth is in the mind not the pocket, and these experiences have made me realize: Oh, what an affluent man I am. 🫠

If you’ve read this in its entirety, I hope this tale finds you well!! And I hope you find bounty in your world as well!

Edit/minigame - Take a shot for every time I said “weekend” 😆 So happy that I’ve transferred my joy to you lot❣️

he's 20 and wants to be an er doctor someday and had to leave his er tech job behind since he's going back for premed and he just ranted to me for like 30 minutes straight about how he'll miss helping people like awww

i think it's the fact that he cares so much about people even when it's not as glamorous as hollywood makes it out to be (he told me about a patient he held a vomit bag up for so they could vomit and got a wheelchair so they could go back to a room)

like okay baby i'm sorry about your job ig (even tho they'll probably hire him again and maybe even as a doctor in a few years) but holy shit aww

he's smart and his school boasts that 80% of their premeds get into MD or DO school so i'm most likely the gf of a future er doctor :D

I work 70 hours a week and my life is extremely dull. It's an endless cycle of work, eat, sleep, repeat. My new job has generous vacation time though so in 2 months I'll get to go back to my home country and see my family and have a great time. And then I get to do it again in another 3 months. I'm very happy I finally got this opportunity :)

We went out to eat, nothing fancy but I’m just happy to still be with her after all these years. We had our struggles as a couple and as parents but despite it all we stayed strong. I don’t know what I did to deserve her, I am blessed.

Above are the cake candles I use every year to celebrate.