The Joy of Joy

Over my sink hands a plaque, “The Natural State of Man is Joy.”
I see it daily. And sometimes it makes me pause and wonder, as I bustle
off on another errand—Where is the joy?

Who has time for joy-filled moments most days? It doesn’t even make the
“Do List.” Who treats joy like a worthy goal—deserving of our already over-committed time and energy? Rather, joyful moments are treated like a guilty sin—a forbidden pleasure that’s indulged on the sly, a truancy from responsibility.

Bring on the JOY!

It’s time for a reality check—a shift in priorities. I want lots of joy in my life. I’m determined to get rid of anything that prevents me from having it.

I desire that feeling more than things, more than leisure, more than respect—because none of that will suffice without joy. Along with joy comes delight and gladness—worthy reprieves from the dull routines that gobble up the hours.

We can have all the joy we want

Joy rubs up against us like a cat at the ankles, begging for notice. It tries sneaking in by hanging around the “important” things—unless we wall it out as an inappropriate distraction. Resistance to joy is another definition for stress. Send it away… Out of your life.

Trading stress for joy is a heck of a deal!

Give yourself permission to take the joy and all that comes with it.
Revel in it—wallow in the the freedom and delight that joy brings. Let joy ooze into more weighty matters. Pause to enjoy (oh my, that word again) each crumb you encounter. Savor it, linger over it, taste it deep and long.

Give yourself over to joy (are we talking surrender here?). Let joy invade your jealously hoarded minutes. There is no shame, no guilty secret to feel the joy of joy. The only shame is when you don’t.

When life is hard and the unbidden thought comes, “What is it all for?”
The answer is, For Joy! For Joy!

Back to the Joy Page _____________________ Copyright © 2005, Off the Page Press
The Joyful Banker - A Parody of all things Financial
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