A former coworker and friend sent me the joke from a daily calendar. The timing was perfect.

She sent it because the joke included a polar bear, my favorite animal. What she didn’t know is it would have been my dad’s birthday, and he was the king of jokes in our family. And this was just the kind of joke he’d tell.

I smiled.

And I retold the joke multiple times. The joy wasn’t in the joke as much as the delivery, carrying on my dad’s tradition (although I didn’t laugh at myself nearly as much as he did).

Memories are sometimes bittersweet, but it’s nearly always good to remember. It’s especially great to be surprised with reminders that bring a smile. All it took was for someone who had no idea the significance of the day to reach out will a seemingly insignificant message. It’s a reminder to reach out anytime you have a small nudge. Even when someone pops into your mind for a brief moment, take the time to reach out. You never know what joy you’ll bring to their day.