CELEBRATE JOY!
On Wednesdays I join a group of very creative people who share a common love for textiles and knitting. This week, one of our members, (and expert knitter by the way) shared her latest news about her 4 month old grandson. Low and behold he had created his first tooth! As she was sharing, her voice went up two decibels and the light in her eyes was impossible to miss. It was pure, unadulterated joy. Babies seem to do that for humans – remind us of the joyfulness of life. (for me its dogs – especially terriers!). We have another member who has a young grandson growing up in Japan – she does facetime with the family and receives regular videos of his latest adventures. The giggles spread like a virus (sorry for the metaphor) as we watch the phone and share her joy.
It is very easy to confuse innate joy with experiencing joy that is provoked by people, places or events. Show anyone an adorable baby photo and the “ahhhhhhs” will be very predictable. Is it the baby or is it us? Sadly I think we have forgotten it is us – and so we spend many hours looking for experiences that will bring us this sense of joy. I love the ocean – and have spent many years staring at its beauty on the northern coast of California – I recall vividly the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean coming into California from Oregon. I took off my shoes and socks and ran to the beach – not realizing that the Pacific is not the same temperature as the Atlantic …both joy and cold feet followed. If you had asked me a few years ago – where did I find my joy? I would have answered without missing a beat – Oh at Sea Ranch – I have had birthday parties there – got married there – and was ordained there – it’s a place I associate with joy.
Yet truth be told, it’s like my friends adorable grandchildren, is not the source of joy. As you watch those same babies grow and discover their toes, play with boxes as if they were as fascinating as video games, you can see that they arrived here with joy. It is just waiting for the simplest opportunity to be expressed. Conversely we can also say that the opposite robs us of joy – just turn on the news – or have a conversation about the corona virus and watch the joy drain from the room like lemmings to the sea. Again, a sad misunderstanding – those events can’t rob us of something that is innate- a gift given to the human experience – as natural to us as breathing.
Don’t get me wrong – I believe those babies pictures and the sounds of the ocean are infinitely better for us than watching the news. And when we head in the direction of love and sharing – we surely notice the joy. But noticing is a magnitude of difference from feeling like the joy comes FROM the experience rather than from the deep well we have within that is waiting for those moments to appear.
There is nothing that lifts our spirits more than joy – and you may recall the purpose of this blog is to lift each other up-and the fastest way to notice joy is to firmly acknowledge you already have it…
Deepak Chopra – one of my favorite teachers says – fire can’t burn it, knives can’t cleave it- its limitless and everywhere. In other words, you haven’t lost it – no matter the circumstances you find yourself in – you don’t have to wait for those things to change or for you to improve your outlook on life – or for you to conjure up a positive thought…its right here – right now- inside of you – waiting for a chance to giggle.
Next week- miracles are everywhere – you can start now by realizing what a miracle of joy you are!
Joy is not in things; it is in us.
Richard Wagner
