Today I began my new year’s resolution to read daily from a book of inspiration or website, and then to spend more time in my blogs sharing my perspective on the little tidbits I have read. My intention is to remind myself, daily, of the JOY we have in our lives.
I invite you to join me in seeking out JOY. If you attend my home studio classes, you received a JOY Journal, and this is a wonderful place to keep track of the little bits of JOY we witness each day. Maybe we don’t remember to write them down, or maybe we don’t even recognize that they make us JOYful, as we are so caught up in our busy worlds. And so carrying around our pocket-sized journal is that faithful reminder to stop during the day and question those little events that brought us a smile, or perhaps a tear, stirring our hearts.
The daily devotional book I am using is The Book of Awakening (thank you, Kathy!). I am also linked to a few websites that offer inspirational thoughts throughout the week (Daily OM is a great website). And Karen gave me some wonderful inspirational cards that I will be using as well.
Today’s inspiration asks us to be thankful for being human. It asks us to take our atttention outside. (Because of that strong wind today, we can do this from a window. lol) We should study the birds and think about the animal life and what they can do that we can’t do. Did you ever envy the bird for its ability to fly anywhere it chooses? If I could take off and fly, I would go to all the places I love and the places I have yet to go: Greece, New Zealand, Turkey, Croatia, to name a few. Did you ever study the ant who carries more than its weight on its back? Man, to be that strong and hard-working, what dedication to its community!
And the next part of the task, while looking outdoors, is to think of the stationary items: the tree, a rock, and think of its experiences. While the tree may never leave its spot, naturally at least, it has the advantage of growing taller and taller, some day seeing things that we can only dream of seeing from our place right next to it. And the rock, while being at a disadvantage because it cannot overlook anything more than some of the shrubs that surround it, has the weight to stay put in 50 mph winds,always steady and sturdy, never faltering, never changing its perspective. We can rely on the rock to be there, always.
Finally we are asked to reflect on what makes us humans different. We cannot fly on our own, we cannot be as hard-working and dedicated to our community as the ant, we cannot remain in the same place, and we cannot be counted on to hold only one perspective and to never falter. And yet, we are unique from every other living thing!
We have the ability to experience great JOY and great sadness, an ability which we share with our animal friends, of course. But as humans, we process these emotions. We label them, we sort these labels out. Sometimes, we even choose to experience them from a distance, not wanting to get wrapped up in the wave of emotions that can seem so overwhelming, so suffocating.
So take this day and find JOY in reflecting on all the characteristics that make us human. Maybe even write them down in your journal or a blog. Even add them here! But if you are reading this blog, you were already called to take a few minutes to find JOY.