It can be difficult to be joyful these days. War, suicide bombers, terrorists, financial difficulties of major corporations and the devastation from hurricanes pounding the Gulf Coast region have taken a toll on most people. The images, the stories and the effects these have on life are overwhelming even for those of us who are thousands of miles away.

It is easy to be fearful and to feel hopeless. It is a time that requires strength of character and reaching deep within oneself to determine priorities. It is a time to understand that the small joys of life may in fact be the major joys.

I have one grandchild --- a boy almost two years old. Marco is without a doubt one of the primary sources of joy for our entire family. We hang on his every word, openly competing for his attention. When he chooses one of us and calls out our name, we feel almost victorious. He makes each one of us feel special in a different way. As a family we have talked about how this dear little boy has changed our lives and how we never expected such a change while waiting for his birth.

Last week he was staying with us so his mother would have a few days to attend to her teaching duties without interruption. It was a good thing for everyone. She got work done and Grandma and Grandpa were given the opportunity to return to the simple things of life like taking a walk and tucking a baby into bed. War, political wrangling, bankrupt airlines and Hurricane Katrina were set aside for a brief time as we reveled in the goodness, innocence and promise of a young child.

The next day it was time to take my grandson home. We took the long ride to meet his mother where she teaches at St. Mary's Academy in Inglewood, and arrived about 20 minutes before school was let out for the day. Marco kept asking, "What is this?" as we drove into the parking lot. I replied, "This is Mama's work, Mama's school." His response was to look with wide eyes and repeat everything I was saying.

We found the front doors and went into the reception area. A kind woman asked if she could help and Marco looked up at her and said, "My Mommy." When asked what her name was, he said her first name and within a few minutes the principal, Sister Faye Hagen, came through the office doors and offered a huge warm welcome and escorted Marco to his Mother's classroom.

I stayed a few steps behind as we went up flights of stairs and down long quiet, very academic, hallways. When Sister Faye reached the room she was looking for, she greeted the students and invited Marco into the room. He hesitated, taken aback by the girls looking at him, but then saw his mother. As soon as he saw her he said, "Mommy!" with great enthusiasm in his voice and ran into the classroom and into her arms. She continued teaching for a few minutes as she held Marco. It was definitely a joyful moment.

About a year ago a group of women began meeting at the church to knit and crochet. At first it was a small group, the individuals tentative and shy with each other and their creative skills. In the months since the group formed, it has grown to nearly 50 women. They talk, laugh and share stories as they create baby blankets, designer-style scarves, capes, ponchos and prayer shawls for the sick and bereaved. Thursday mornings have become a source of joy for these women as they gather to share a few hours of creativity and friendship.

A young man, married only a short time, sat at the kitchen table in his lovely new house with his wife and reminisced about his youth. He said that when he was a child and his family was on welfare, he thought about having money when he grew up and what he would do with it. He said that his goal was to have a refrigerator that dispensed ice through the freezer door, a simple request by today's standards for most of us. He smiled as he and his wife looked over at their ice-dispensing refrigerator.

These are simple stories, but they are examples of recognizing joyful moments. We all have these types of stories. We just have to be sure to recognize them.

Anne Hansen is a parent education consultant and a parishioner at Blessed Junípero Serra Church, Camarillo. Her e-mail address is familymail@aol.com.