Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Finding Joy

Every so often, I like to look for joy in the little things, like the shininess of a wet, smooth rock, the satisfaction of getting something clean, or the pleasant sound small stones make when they clink together. Such little joys would have been easy to overlook or to write off as just a small pile of rocks, but my evening would have been worse for doing so. Noticing and appreciating such little things takes deliberate, conscious thought, but it's well worth the effort of putting in the practice. Heck, the sound of my keyboard is somewhat pleasant, now that I think about it, and there's something satisfying about seeing words slowly filling up a page. The website I'm using has a functional, but charming minimalist design, with a few bright accents. And the room I'm sitting in has its charms as well. There's beauty in so many things, if we have a mind to look for them.

Many people think that joy is something we can earn. Joy is supposed to be the reward for achieving something we've striven for. Yet, we can find joy simply in appreciating things, like a gentle hum or a warm glow. There's probably something beautiful or charming near you right now. You just need to notice it. And if you can find it, and find joy in it, your life will have more joy in it than it did a moment ago, and we'll both be all the happier for it.

No comments: