Joy

What is Joy? Can you have Joy without thankfulness? No. The two are connected. So are Joy and Contentment. To be content, truly mindful of your experience here on this planet, you must examine the wonder of the small things, and be thankful for them. I read recently that Joy is not an accelerated experience, it sits quietly. To fully experience it, you must slow your pace, breathe, close your eyes and feel each breath. Open your eyes and let them rest on the first natural thing you see. Examine the wonder of it. The connectivity of it. How it influences everything around it. Remember to accept the gift of life graciously, feeling fully the warmth of the sun on your face, and know what it means to be alive. Here. Now.

Impermanence is directly connected to Joy. Everyone who is here on this planet today, was not here 100 years ago, and will be gone 100 years from now. Each day is special, each moment that you breath, special. Be mindful, remember that your gift is shared with a multitude of others. We are all connected by the soil underneath our feet, and the sky over our heads. Try random acts of kindness. When we help others selflessly, it brings us back to our "child" self. That basic self taking first steps, looking at life anew. With each small step, you will get better at it. With a little practice, your true happiness will come naturally, it will simply bubble forth.  And that is Joy.