Take a moment and think  of a time you felt joy.  What did that feel like?  What do you most remember about the moment?  Is it the actual sensation, or the event/person responsible for generating that feeling? We don’t often speak of joy.  We speak of seeking happiness, but not joy.  Why is that?

When I reflect on the last time I felt joy, I can literally feel the delightful, excitement and tingling energy cascading through my being.  It reminds me of the quote “Joy is the feeling of grinning inside.” By Melba Colgrove.  It’s different from happiness in that it feels somehow lighter, more flowing.  The last time I felt joy was this evening as I sat on the terrace of a restaurant in West Hamptons, overlooking the sun setting over the ocean, and watching the moment to moment change in the sky.  The joy I felt arose from the breath taking artwork unfolding in front of me, and experiencin myself part of this great creation.

As we left the restaurant feeling joyful and grateful, we happened upon a Jazz group playing in the heart of town right next to a bakery.  We stopped to listen to this 7 men and 1 woman band improvisations.  Their joyful sounds permeated every cell in my body, sweeping over me like a huge wave.  When they took their break we entered the baker only to be swept away by the olfactory and visual seduction that only a yummy bakery can do for me.  I could not resist buying a doughy, buttery cookie.  Yes, my joy has reached a new height.

It occurred to me that joy is all around us.  It is up to us to choose to experience it in the every day small things life so generously presents to us.

What makes you feel joy?  Make a mental note every morning to create joyful moments in your day.

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