Where is the joy?

Most people do not have joy in their lives.

A few years ago, I ran into an old acquaintance.

We hadn’t seen each other for some time and I casually asked her what she had “been up to.”

Her reply surprised me with its honesty.

Without missing a beat, she mentioned several jobs.

From disc jockey to bartender to other jobs I can’t even remember.

After she had shared, I asked her one question…

“Did any of those jobs bring you joy?”

She looked at me with her head cock-eyed and said, “What?”

So, I repeated my question…

“Which job brought you joy?”

She was stunned.

Silent.

I knew her answer before she did.

Are we looking for joy in all the wrong places?

We all have responsibilities and obligations.

Life makes sure of it.

Are our gratifications that short lived?

Do we spend most of our time doing nothing blissful?

Another friend of mine told me once she loved working with the elderly.

Her job would never allow her those kind of delightful moments.

I encouraged her to make time to feel that euphoria.

To connect with something she loves.

That’s the secret to finding joy…

Once we find joy, do we let let go too quickly?

Sometimes, joy comes in a single moment.

A moment of pride found in a parent’s eyes…

Small amounts of time spent with loved ones…

Or getting that first job…

Like all moments, they quickly fade away.

The feeling of delight becomes one we cherish.

Then, it’s gone.

We all know what it feels like, yet we never allow ourselves to have it more.

The reason to have joy is simple…

In the tiniest of ways, joy makes life perfect.

It gives us permission to love where we are, what we are doing, and who we are with.

Joy adds to our lives (and to the lives around us) by elevating our sense of self.

It gives us hope and makes us happy.

Life is hard.

Maybe even downright cruel at times.

It is also too short.

Some things cannot be changed.

However, adding simple moments of joy into our lives will easily enhance our lives in ways we can only imagine.

To be gleeful about something — even one thing — can change our entire mindset about how we think about everything.

Joy is waiting for you

Add joy to your life again.

Draw, sing, or write.

Help others with compassion and generosity.

Share your gifts and talents with the world.

Let your heart guide you — trust it every time.

Sometimes, joy presents itself to us.

We must welcome it, embrace it, cherish it.

Other times, we must seek it.

Either way, we know it when we feel it.

Pure joy is unmistakable.

It gives us an elation, even temporarily, we covet every time.

To truly be happy, we must have joy in our complicated, busy, stressful lives.

If you are unsure of where to look first, notice the little things…

It’s been said they hold more than we think they do.

Michelle A. Homme 2017