Dear God,
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for giving me so many things in my life that give me joy. Sometimes I do not realize how joy filled my life is until I talk with someone who has forgotten how to have joy in their lives. Life for me is not about just enduring, but about enjoying. Maybe it is because I have come close to dying a few times in my life, that I am able to find joy in just about everything, even going to the bathroom. Having experienced what it is like to not be able to perform a function we take for granted, I find joy in being able to do so multiple times a day. Whoo hoo!
I was asked how do I practice joy and my response was I live. I try to find the joy in everything I do. Are there aspects of my life that are not as joyful as others, sure, but there is still an element of joy. For example, I woke up this morning and that, if nothing else, is a reason to celebrate and give joy. Somewhere there is someone who did not and while their spirit may be experiencing a different kind of joy, their families may be struggling to feel joy in the midst of their grief. I understand that feeling. I remember when each of my parents passed away, the heart was so heavy, yet there was joy in being able to celebrate their lives. There was joy in knowing they were no longer struggling. There was joy in knowing they were together again spiritually.
When people ask me why I work on staying so happy all the time, I am always amused. Whey would I intentionally work on being sad and sorrowful. I realize those are choices others make and patterns that others have embraced in their lives, but each day I seek to practice my joy. I practice joy because I am here. I practice joy because it helps me stay grateful and makes me feel like a little girl who is constantly opening gifts from you throughout my day. Honestly, I love opening gifts from you. Little things make me happy. Like this morning I was surprised at how awesome my greens tasted that I ordered from a friend who is trying to help me get healthy and detoxify my body. LOL. I was surprised at how good it tasted. Made me want to go drink another glass of it, but tomorrow is another day. LOL. There is joy in listening to the sounds of happiness as 24hoursofhappy.com plays in the background reminding me to bounce and be happy and clap my hands.
Maybe that is why I like this quote from Mark Frost so much. “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body. But rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming .... WOW what a ride.” This is pretty funny for me as I do not like roller coasters, but I do love living life to its fullest, enjoying it, and knowing that at the end it will be like sliding into home base after just having hit a home run. Something I only did once in my life. Well I never slid into home, I tripped over my gym teacher’s foot and sprained both my ankles. But WOW what a day.