Today I am thankful for joy. The dictionary defines “joy” as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.” And I do not know about you, but I have come to realize that joy is one of those elements in life that probably has a noticeably greater effect on us human beings, as it concerns building our character and capturing our attention, when it is actually absent than when it is present. I know that that probably sounds strange, but just hear me out.
If you think about it, when things are going well and joy abounds in our hearts and lives we maneuver through life generally without giving joy’s presence any thought; it is something that is there and we know that it’s a good thing. Yet, when the trials of life come and we feel as though we are being battered on all sides, it is then, in that solemn moment, that we realize that the joy that we once had is now gone. And then we attempt to figure out ways to bring that joy back to our lives, oftentimes frustrating ourselves even further in the process. I have certainly been there, and my guess is that you all have been there too.
One of the things that I have been conditioning myself to do, now that I am older and more mature than I was even five years ago, is to recognize joy’s presence in my life in the moment, rather than once I have allowed it to depart. I am doing this so that I can handle the circumstances of life better and do what needs to be done in order to prevent joy’s departure, because the only way that joy can leave my life is if I open the door and usher it out. And that would never be on my agenda. #lovebythedrop
love by the drop 