I've been thinking about joy, lately. I have a joy-filled life. Joy changes the significance of events, unhappy or happy, just as powerfully as depression does. It's not a blanket of happiness that blunts pain. It's more like a deep trust that frees you to find meaning and beauty in what is happening. Sadness is not incompatible with joy -- it just doesn't own the real estate. Joy is a challenge to discuss with others, because we all become very invested in our suffering, and feel betrayed by anyone who does not surrender to our distress. Joy is the peace which passes all understanding.
Believe me, I've had my share of occasions for pain lately. I just lost a friend to cancer, and two more are imminent. My son is working through what he needs to change if he is to continue in college. My daughters' learning disabilities are creating increasing disparities between them and their classmates. My nation is led by a subpar president who is taking us deeper into an unwinnable war. We are apparently choosing to ignore the damage we are wreaking on Creation. I have 36 hours worth of things to accomplish during any given 24 hour day.
All of those are issues that call for a constructive response on my part. Joy makes me capable of that constructive response. Life is a gift. People are gifts, even the ones who make you want to scream. The infinitely varied expression of human life and culture is a gift. Death is a painful but necessary gift. We fail to see the gift, all the time. It's always there.
Here's to the gift.
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1 comment:
Jen, we are indeed syncing each other on joy/happiness--wow! As you say of your own experience, and mine affirms it, too: we can have joy and yet so much of a mix in other realms (emotions, feelings, etc).
My point is only that I didn't read your blog (or knew of it)--not that I was responding to your comment so as to imply that I drew from your post.
A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my favorite books! I look to seeing how it turns out for you.
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