As I pondered the e-mail, her words came back to me in a rush, making me realize that I really needed a reality check. Is the time I’m spending giving myself or anyone else any joy?
How many things do we all do every day that bring us no joy? Oh, sure, we have to work and commute and clean house, but there can be joy in doing all of those things. We may have jobs that are what we consider to be menial or unrewarding, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find joy in them. And apart from those eight or ten hours each day, we have a lot of time that can be spent in positive, uplifting ways, and I for one have decided that I’m going to take more of the moments I have left to giving and getting joy. I don’t know how successful I’ll be at it. I don’t know whether I can change nearly 50 years of habits, but I’ll give it a go.
So here’s to moments spent watching the cat watch birds through the window, and to half an hour spent playing my harp even when I don’t have to rehearse for a performance. Here’s to visiting with my elderly neighbors and calling distant friends more often. Here’s to afternoon naps and old movies on Sunday afternoon.
And here’s to you for taking a moment to read this column. I hope it reminded you to enJoy your time.
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