November 30, 2025
Every so often a “Thought of the Day and Question of the Day” pair lines up in a way that tells the truth a little too directly. Today is one of those days. As November closes, we get a reminder that life is a circus, the clowns are always around, and the best thing we can do is laugh a little. This post looks at the final Thought of the Day and Question of the Day for November and explores what unexpected joy looks like after a long month of carrying burdens, juggling responsibilities, and occasionally tripping over our own shoes.
Thought of the Day: The circus is always in town. Learn to enjoy the clowns.
There are days when life feels like it is running smoothly, almost suspiciously smoothly, and then there are the rest of the days. Those days come with confetti explosions, emotional juggling acts, and a couple of clowns who were not on the official program but showed up anyway.
The older I get, the more I realize the circus is not a special event. The circus is permanent. The tent goes wherever I go. The acts change, the performers rotate, but the general chaos stays the same.
Some clowns are harmless. They squeak horns, they trip over invisible objects, and they keep life interesting. Other clowns show up with chaos in their pockets and leave your living room looking like a toddler birthday party gone catastrophically wrong.
For a long time, I fought the circus. I tried to force order into the un-orderable. I tried to stop the noise. I tried to shush the clowns. But the clowns do not care. They do what they do.
Somewhere along the way, I learned something important. You cannot stop the circus, but you can choose the seat you sit in. You can choose to get popcorn instead of a headache. You can choose to laugh at the absurdity rather than fear it. You can even learn from it.
I wrote recently about how even the strangest moments can teach you something, like in this post where keeping the circus going inside of you and this reflection on learning to stay calm when everything feels chaotic. November seems to specialize in reminding us of those lessons. It throws a few pies, it trips us when we are carrying coffee, and then it asks what we learned from the whole experience.
And honestly, I needed that reminder this month. My family has been carrying a heavy burden. The kind of thing that sits in the background of every day, even when things are going well. It has been our own private three-ring show. And yet, right at the end of November, something shifted. A little relief showed up. A little hope walked in from backstage. And for the first time in a while, I found myself exhaling.
Sometimes the circus gives you a break. That is when you enjoy it instead of fighting it.
Question of the Day: What unexpected joy found you in November?
Unexpected joy is different from regular joy. Regular joy you can schedule. You can say, today I will go get ice cream. Today I will go see a friend. Today I will rest. Regular joy is intentionally planted.
Unexpected joy is wild. It grows in cracks. It shows up between errands. It sneaks in when you are too tired to open the door for it.
For me, this November, that joy arrived in the form of relief. Not total relief. Not magic wand relief. Just enough relief to feel the weight shift from one shoulder to the other. Enough to realize I was not as alone in carrying it as I thought. Enough to remind me that hard seasons are exactly that. Seasons.
Maybe your unexpected joy was different. Maybe it was a tiny moment, like hearing your kid laugh in a way that reminded you what you are working for. Maybe it was a quiet morning. Maybe it was someone checking in at the exact right moment. Maybe it was the realization that even small victories count.
We do not give enough credit to the half solved problems, the almost breakthroughs, the small mercies. We wait for fireworks. Meanwhile joy is in the corner waving both arms saying, hello, I am right here.
Today is the last day of November. It arrived faster than I was ready for. But before we rush into December, it feels important to pause and name the surprises that softened the month. Even the little ones. Especially the little ones.
If you found even one moment this month that reminded you things can get better, hold onto it. Let it be the breadcrumb that leads you into December with more hope than fear.
Your Turn
What unexpected joy found you in November? Tell me in the comments. And if you want thoughtful questions and reflections delivered to your inbox every morning, join the daily email below. It takes one minute a day, and the circus definitely follows you, so you may as well enjoy the company.
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