Let me tell you, I know Joy. I am a firm believer that you must endure the SHIT so you can recognize the joy when it comes your way. And I have KNOWN some shit. Just the way you have to sit through really crappy movies and horrible pieces of theatre, to KNOW good acting; just as you must eat a LOT of poorly prepared green corn tamales, so you know perfection when you taste it; so too, you must go through some bad bad STUFF to know the good STUFF it hits you in the face (or you trip over it, blinded by tears of frustration and sadness). So when I say I can recognize pure unadulterated Joy, you can believe me.
Sure, lots of money, fancy cars, nice shoes, fine food...those COULD bring me Joy...except I don't have any of those in my life on any sort of a regular basis. And yes, certainly my family....my darling nieces and nephews, and the cousins and aunts and my 92 year old grandma and my parents and siblings who STILL love me despite my efforts to push them all away...they are all surely a source of joy and happiness (and aggravation and irritation TOO I must
admit). Having better health would certainly bring me joy, but since so much of that is beyond my control, (that is what I keep telling myself, anyway), I certainly can't base my happiness quotient on that "hope" or "wish."But "Joy" is such a short, simple word. So the short, simple, yet truly CONCRETE answer to the question of "What brings me Joy" is: sitting on a rock on the top of a mountain. Something about the clear, cool air, the isolation, the simplicity, the trek endured to get there, whatever, it is my HAPPY place...I go there in my mind often, and physically not as much as I wish I could.
Sure, there are tons of awesome people in my life, and many chocolate-based recipes I look forward to testing out, and those lovely airplane upgrades and the luxury hotels with the really nice beds....these all make me smile....but for true, unconditional JOY.....just give me a rock above 10,000'
And YOU??
3 comments:
Oh man, what a great post. There are lots of things that bring me joy... in varying degrees. I shall think about it and maybe do a post like this one later this week...
Oh, and I hope you get to go to your rock for real soon!! xo
its not on my itinerary for a while diane....but maybe next summer, if global warming hasn't turned it into an ISLAND!!
A blue sky, sandy beach, and of course green palm trees make me happy... of course next time you go to a mtn at 10,000 feet bring me.
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