Word with the same meaning as "good moments" or "pleasant memories"?

Question

Is there a single word with the same meaning as "good moments" or "pleasant memories"? I'm looking for a word which describes good thing(s) that happened to someone. The only word I can think of is "joy".

Some examples might be:

• Wayne has many pleasant memories of the days spent with the family.
• She could remember many good moments from the last weekend.

Answer 1

Reminisce means to talk, think, or write about enjoyable experiences in your past (Macmillan Dictionary) or to indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events (Merriam Webster).

Your example sentences could be reworded:

•Wayne reminisced about the days spent with the family. •She reminisced about last weekend.

Reminiscence would be the noun form. (I did find it interesting that most dictionaries define the verb reminisce as an enjoyable act, but the noun reminiscence was not necessarily defined as being pleasant or enjoyable.)

Answer 2

Maybe Nostalgia? As in to feel nostalgic?

Wayne feels nostalgic of the days spent with the family.

She felt nostalgic about last weekend.

Answer 3

You appear to be looking for a noun. (Other answers offer good verbs and adjectives.)

For the second sentence you could use highlights:

She could remember many highlights from the last weekend.

You remember highlights but I don't think you have them, so this doesn't help in your first example. What's wrong with "pleasant memories"?

Answer 4

I suggest noun reverie ("state of dreaming while awake: ... castle in the air, daydream, daydreaming, oneirism") and noun or verb daydream ("a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions").

Wikipedia includes "review of past memories" among things people refer to when they talk about daydreaming. This applies to reverie even more, I think, although I don't have a source that says so. That is, I think reverie often connotes recall of pleasant past events.

Answer 5

Halcyon, used as an adjective:

a: calm, peaceful
b: happy, golden
c : prosperous, affluent

Given synonyms include calm, hushed, lown [dialect], peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, still, stilly, tranquil, untroubled.

Edit: If you are looking for a noun as Monica suggests, what about

• delight

1: a high degree of gratification : joy; also : extreme satisfaction
2: something that gives great pleasure

Examples of delight:

• We watched the fireworks with delight.
• The kids screamed in delight as they chased one another around the park.
• To the delight of the children, there were enough cookies for everyone to have two.
• Some people seem to take great delight in hearing about the misfortunes of others.
• The trip was a delight.
• a garden full of tasty delights
• The stories are a delight to read.