Dear reader, I don't know if it is because the sun is shining, birds are singing, green is springing up to embrace both the freely falling raindrops and gentle warmth of the sun, an abundance of truly good and dear friends in my life, or a combination of all of these, but I have felt this particular emotion a whole lot lately. I think that I've let myself feel it a lot more often and that has made so much difference. As I was thinking this one day, I came across this message chalked on the sidewalk and loved it.
Joy has come to me as I've felt the sun on my back, watched a bird or a bug make its way in the world, laughed with friends, tasted something wonderful, moved my body into a tough balancing pose or pushed it harder than I thought I could or simply let it relax, listened to the voice of dear ones, and smelled the freshness of air outside. Sometimes it sneaks up on me, surprising me with its intensity and suddenness. Other times it settles on me, growing gradually until I realize its there. Emotions are like that--sometimes unpredictable, usually powerful, and gradually understandable.
Truly, "men are that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). I know that all of life is not joy, and trust me, there are moments when I struggle with the emotions and thoughts. Often times I try to flee them rather than struggle with them actually. I've learned that I am not very swift when it comes to outpacing these thoughts and feelings. They catch up to me eventually and then I have less strength to wrestle them, with their sneers and persistence. Still, the opportunities to feel and receive joy abound. They really do.
I love this poem. Mary Oliver has captured my admiration as of late, and I felt to share something that she penned about joy.
"If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happened better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb."
I hope you find a feast of joy wherever you are, dear reader. I know its there for you. Perhaps not spread out on a table, but deliberately placed in your path by someone who loves you dearly and is excited for you to find it and relish it when you do.
