Daily Joy ~ by Kristine Raymond

That's a difficult concept for me sometimes.  Daily Joy.  When things in my life aren't going well, finding anything to be joyful about on any given day is often a challenging prospect.  Oh, I have a lot to be thankful for - my husband, my fur babies, my family and friends, the roof over my head and food to eat, decent health.  Not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings for what I have, but appreciation is not the same as joy.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of joy (noun) is "A feeling of great pleasure and happiness."  Sounds simple enough, but I've had days where that feeling's been as elusive as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  On those days, a bit of effort is required on my part but when I slow down, take a breath, and become cognizant of the world around me, I never fail to find what I'm searching for.
 
As I'm typing this, a white-throated sparrow is singing outside of my window, it's call clear and pure, the sound filling me with happiness.  Ahhh...that elusive joy. 

For those times when nature fails to uplift my spirits, I turn to one of my cherished books, Daily Joy - 365 Days of Inspiration.
  

This volume sits on my desk, my favorite pages marked.  Like this one - "Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." ~ Rumi.  How could those words not fill one's soul with pleasure?

It doesn't take money to be joyful or require a huge investment of time.  Joy is all around us if we just take a moment to recognize it.  A baby's gurgling laugh.  The soft rumbling of a cat's purr.  Our dog's wagging tail telling us he's delighted we're home.  That first sip of tea (or coffee).  A bird's song.  A fragrant bloom.  Spring leaves rustling in the wind.  The opening notes of our favorite song.

The list could go on forever, and mine would be different than yours because we all find joy - that feeling of great pleasure and happiness - in different ways.  The important thing is to take a moment - each day - to discover yours.

  
If you'd like to pick up your own copy of Daily Joy - 365 Days of Inspiration, you can get it here.