Thursday, April 11, 2013

J is for . . . Joy

Image courtesy: Raj Manchekar

Ah, my beloveds, we come to your favourite page, after C for cake. It’s J for Jam. How you watch in mute disapproval when I use the knife to spread jam neatly across the slice of bread or the chapatti. You’d rather stick your fingers into the jam jar and lick it quickly off them.

That action, of you wanting to eat jam by the spoonful, if I’d only let you, reminds me of Joy, the J in my book. 

No rationing for you. Joy, for you, is as it should be, pure, unmitigated, unbridled.

Joy, mis niños, is an inside job. When negativity or fear clouds your mind, throw them out.

Forget about achieving happiness. That's a tricky shadow to nab. Happiness seems to demand that you should always be suffused in some kind of glow. It has no room for the occasional minor, and major, disappointment. 

Don't spend your energy chasing happiness. Don't fall into the trap of thinking, when I have a job, I shall be happy. When I get admission into my preferred college, I will be happy.

Joy does not demand any exotic ingredients from the gourmet shop. It makes do with whatever you have in the larder. 

Joy has a big, really big, heart. It can take everything in its stride. It is in the here and now. When my two left feet and I join you on the dance floor, that's joy. When the cake I am baking, rises up and its hearty aroma fills our home, that's joy. When you sit on the swing, shouting at me to push harder, your toes trying to touch the sky, that's joy.

Only the right things, innocent, uncomplicated, bring you joy, because joy comes from God.

And at some point you will realise that happiness quietly sneaks in and makes a place for itself in your life, unable to resist the fun you are having, the joy you are having it with.


My wish for you is that you may live in the moment, squeeze from each moment the joy it bears within, the way a mango bears the pit, and no more. That you may not carry the memory of hurts and slights with you through life. Forgive and forget and move on. Joy hates unnecessary baggage, and prefers to travel light.

Despite all the filth, there is much good here on earth. May you learn to recognise and appreciate it. Watch rainbows, sing songs, believe when you want to despair. Joy will come, more joy than your little hearts can contain.

That's all, folks, as the Looney Tunes say.

Hasta mañana. 'K?


19 comments:

  1. "Happiness quietly sneaks in and makes a place for itself in your life" - I absolutely loved this line. Another great post. But sticking fingers into a jam jar and savouring the sweetness is truly Joy or as we did when we were little - licking the icing off the spoon! :D

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  2. Hakuna Matata :D

    Joy is now, here and inside me ! :D

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  3. Joy or jam...spread it around! :D

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  4. I read each line of your posts at least twice. There is so much wisdom here.
    Joy is most definitely an inside Job. We all are responsible for the joy in out life ! Happiness eludes you when you chase it ..

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  5. It's fascinating how u simply differentiated happiness and joy .so true
    Read three joy posts till now which every one needs to remember !

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  6. Joy is not in things; it is in us! Some beautiful learnings! :)

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  7. I go back every day with a little something that changes my day:-) Thanks for the joys Cynthia:)

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  8. Joy does prefer to travel light :) Lovely post as usual.

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  9. So true...Don't spend your energy chasing happiness. Don't fall into the trap of thinking, when I have a job, I shall be happy. When I get admission into my preferred college, I will be happy.

    Joy is so subjective can be felt with small things as well :)

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  10. What a lovely way to link joy to something sweet - a good memory peg indeed!

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  11. There is so much to learn and take back home from your posts.

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  12. Each line of your post is so true. Shouldn't go chasing happiness, indeed! Inspiring one Cynthia :)

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  13. Joy is a way of life. Wonderful post Cynthia.

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  14. Nicely said! Jams and Jellies always give me Joy, and I love when the "happiness quietly sneaks in." :)

    #atozchallenge, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com

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  15. How beautifully you have filtered out happiness from joy ! love this as always :)

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  16. I just read a fellow A to Zers post that made exactly the same point, joy and happiness in little things. Alas, if we all could do it naturally!

    Akhil Kalsh.

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  17. Oh my gosh, I could totally go for some buttery toast and raspberry jam right now.

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  18. "Joy has a big, really big, heart. It can take everything in its stride. It is in the here and now." What wonderful words Cynthia. I am beginning to think this is an A-Z more for us adults than your little ones. Beautiful.

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  19. You said some amazing things here. May some unexpected joys arrive in your life this weekend Stratoz goes from A to Z

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