Two Good Things

“What are two good things that happened to you today?” my husband, Jean-Claude, asks as we start our dinner.

Every evening for the past five years, we have made it a ritual to ask each other that question. So much of our time is focused on managing my illness—doctors’ appointments, medication, dealing with symptoms, food preparation for my special diet—that it becomes especially important to share the highlights of each day with each other.

There are times when the days are especially difficult, and the best things might be as simple as Jean-Claude making coffee for me or me finishing The New York Times Mini Crossword in under two minutes. But still, both of us are required to come up with two good things to tell each other, no matter how hard the day was.

Now, when guests have dinner with us, we ask them also to share two positive highlights of their day. The practice of looking for the good has become a part of eating dinner at our home. It’s a ritual we look forward to, and one that can surprise and delight us.