Jan brought joy into my life.
First, she came to visit, and I love her. She lives in New York so our visits are few and far between.
Second, she cooked a delicious dinner for Mike and me. Since I have a hard time eating anything except popsicles, that was YUMMY!
Third, she gave me an exquisite scarf and beautiful headscarf. (Nothing wrong with a little materialism!)
Fourth, she gave me an excuse to hike one of my favorite trails: Brandy Creek Falls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. (Notice the names?)
Joyful Jan & Gleeful Gayle
Fifth, she asked me what needs to be said about joy.
As a teacher, one of my favorite things to do is answer a good question. As an aspiring student to the mysteries of life, one of my favorite things to do is ponder. So I combined the two and here is my answer:
Our perception of being in joy or out of joy is an illusion. Joy is never absent. Joy is the fabric of who we are. Any time we do not feel joy, we are telling a lie. The lie will be one of self-doubt or unworthiness. To find joy is the illusion. We will not find it because we think it is not present.
To allow joy to express itself we must surrender the false beliefs we hold about ourselves and about our brother.
Joy vs the lack of joy is simply a gauge to know if we are telling the truth.
So, that’s what I have to say about joy.
Well, I always have a LITTLE bit more I could add:
Rejoice when you have your joy. Re-JOY-ce simply means to be who your are: return to joy.
And, perhaps, most importantly:
DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF YOUR JOY!
I hope you are experiencing joy in your life today. That’s who you are!
Thank you, Jan, for your visit of love and sharing. I can’t wait until we once again ponder the mysteries of life together. Oh yeah, and trek the trails!
Beautiful, like you.
Oh, Mike-ee, I love you!
This gave me Joy just from reading it!
Thank you sister, love you Shirley
Glad you en-JOY-ed it! 🙂 Love you, too!
Merci!!! I wished to remember your words about joy and there they appeared, from your deep well to mine, and with a little bitty help from technology. And the photo stimulated the joy already present in my heart. I loved that hike and I love you! Here’s to juicy joy!
Juicy joy it is! So loved your joyful visit! Love you, too!
Beautiful picture of you and your buddy enJOYing it all! Thank you for your post, I totally agree with you! Love to you, Sandi
Thanks, Sandi. I’d love to see a painting by you of Brandy Creek Falls!
Wonderful! I love that “gleeful Gayle” and her thoughts about joy. Thanks to “Joyful Jan” for bringing more joy to Gayle, and hence to all of us!
Sweet! Thank you, Pamela, for the joy you bring!
Beautiful like you and Michael. Inspiring like spring. Nourishing as breath itself. Delicious as Jan mc freakin Cracken.
Lovely, Miss Liz! Your poetry is as beautiful as you are–almost!
Your description of JOY leaves me in awe! I think you just outdid one of
Rev. Ann Corrin’s sermons. Your insight is truly amazing and your students
must have loved you, as we all do. Also amazing is your hike to Brandy
Creek Falls, you outdo me girl. Hope you have a blessed day attending church where ever you and Christine decide to go.
Hi Peggie, So glad you liked the post! We all dip from the same source, don’t we? 🙂
Nicely said. “Joy”…I always enjoyed my name, and the weight of fulfilling the legacy it evokes throughout the year. It keeps me on my toes emotionally. I think my name alone, provides me the opportunity to check in with “Joy,” which is a constant reminder that there in “joy” in life in all you do, and in all the lessons you learn in that path of ‘joy.’ Glad you got your “joy-on” today!
I’ve always felt you were appropriately named! You are JOY!
Brilliant! Thank you
It was just for you!
Gayle,
What a wonderful point of view about Joy. Truly inspiring guidance.
No wonder Jan cherishes your friendship.
Thank you! I know why you cherish hers!