HFC, quite a few of my ideas of a near-perfect time include (oddly enough for the extreme introvert that I am) being surrounded by family and close friends, too. It's pictures of a quiet winter break, with big, fat snowflakes drifting lazily down outside the windows, hot chocolate, coffee, too many people crowded into the kitchen, laughing and talking as some of us make dinner or cookies. It's pictures of working on one of our houses while kids run in and out and always under foot. It's summers with the extended family commandeering several spaces at our favorite campground, campfire, smores, hiking, kids laughing and running around like wild things.
Those were my ideas of Family (capital F) and my go-to happy places while with AXH. They were what I held on to in order to try to keep me sane in the craziness. They were usually centered around me and him (but since I pretty much orbited him, it really centered around him) surrounded by all of that, and it was so hard to let go of that exact set of pictures.
Can I tell you something? Those pictures still are my idea of Happiness. The only difference now is that the family doesn't revolve around him. They're still my picture of "What I Want." They are, also, now, my sitting back, smiling and thinking "Huh. Look at that. Life is pretty darn good" moments. I never really would have gotten them with AXH.