Keep the fires of joy burning
Joy isn’t difficult, but it takes some effort to keep it present in our lives. Like tending a fire, we need to tend joy. To burn, fires need heat, fuel and oxygen. They call it “the fire triangle.” The joy triangle? Intention, sensory input and biochemistry. For...
Choosing Joy
I don’t enjoy waking up. I shift from sleeping to wakefulness, try to move my body and remember that I can’t. Sadness. I wait until someone comes to get me out of bed. My legs spasm. Pain. I think about what I hope to do today. That helps. I have things to do, people...
Alerted to a higher joy
Yesterday, I heard columnist David Brooks on the radio describing a moment he experienced as he watched his children playing in the yard: “It’s one of those moments when life and time feel like they’re suspended. I had a feeling of being overwhelmed with gratitude....
Learning to exercise joy
People exercise in order to make their muscles stronger. I still remember the day the physical therapist shook her head and looked at me sadly, saying “the nerve connections are gone, honey. No amount of exercise will make that leg stronger.” That was 2001. My legs...
Inviting Joy (in the midst of difficulty)
The other day I was painting an experiment: “Make marks in joyful colors with joyful motion; combine them into one piece of art.” Before I started painting, I imagined the motions I used to make with my paintbrush when I was happy. I could envision the swoop and...Subscribe to the monthly newsletter
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