I Find Joy

What is Joy?
Gosh I’ve been pondering this question for 11 days now. Reading all the reflections on Words of Wisdom, listening to joyful music, taking joyful moments, even going on UUredit and asking others what small things they enjoy and do daily, weekly or monthly. 

In this query I find that people’s joyful rituals are not very different from my own daily rituals, but I never till now put a sense of jubilation on these everyday things. And in this very moment writing this reflection I remembered the 28 days of gratitude I used to do each February and every morning part of the process was writing gratitudes for 10 things in your life, you couldn’t repeat any from previous days. So of course you start off with the small things, thank you for coffee, for food, for waking up…etc. So for the first week you have gratitude for the things you find joy in having…strange how these connections are being made as I sit and write this. 

In the UUreddit thread that I put up 21 days ago there were around a dozen comments and they all said many things, exercise, meditate, reading, cup of coffee or tea, playing a musical instrument, crafting, being with family, friends, pets and people, gardening, knitting, cooking, baking, writing. 

All these people made daily, weekly or monthly rituals to do these things. They took time to find this joy in their life. 

And so… the things I find joy in my daily life…

When I wake up (well I know I wanna be… I wanna be the man who wakes up next to you…hehe) 

I find joy that my cat Benji snuggles up beside me to keep me in bed longer.

I find joy in stretching and doing the three realms protection for the day. 

My husband is already awake and I find joy in asking him if he put coffee on, even though I know he probably already has. 

I find joy in letting the dog Belle outside and telling Benji he can’t go outside and then giving in as he’s persistent with his begging. 

I find immense joy in standing outside with Belle and Benji as they do their business and I hear the birds sing the morning in (this is by far the most joyful minutes of my morning).
I find a lot of joy at 5:30 pm, and some joy in the hour drive home. 

I find joy in walking into my front door after I check the pond for any toads that may drown and being greeted by Baby, Luna, and Belle at the door. 

I find joy in leaning down to my little Belle settled on the back of the couch (till the last person comes in the door at night) and seeing her little tail just thwap back and forth on the pillow as I lean down and peck kisses on the top of her head. 

I find joy in giving my husband a kiss as we greet each other again.

I find joy in seeing my seedlings grow and become ready to transplant to their new homes. 

I find joy in dreaming of the raised beds and the garden we are preparing for this year. 

I find joy in life.

~Candice Carver