Everyday Joy
My oldest daughter graduated from high school last spring and went to college this fall. As we approached this life event, there were lots of opportunities to reflect over the big moments of her childhood and relish the pictures we took. It is a special blessing to get to experience those moments with both of my daughters. However, many of the blessings I have had with my children were much more ordinary. There are thousands of everyday joys that happened of which we do not have pictures and probably don’t even remember.
Sometimes I wonder what God thinks when God looks at us. I wonder if we are living lives that are anywhere close to the lives God intends for us to live. Is God questioning why we don’t notice each different color of fall leaves on the trees? Or listen to all the soothing sounds of nature that can be heard when you sit out on the porch? Or enjoying the sweetness of each different type of berry? Why would God make a world full of so much diverse beauty and sweetness if it was not meant to be enjoyed by God’s creatures?
Focusing on everyday joys takes a slightly slower pace…one that stops and savors that gentle breeze or the sun shining through the clouds after a rainstorm. Maybe it is the smell of your morning coffee or how nice it is to put away clean clothes. There are so many blessings that happen to us every day. Taking your dog for a walk, getting a hot shower, laughing on the phone with a friend…these things are special, even if they are not photo op worthy.
At the core of mindfulness is an essence of gratitude. It is being intentional about noticing the things that surround us each day. That practice takes work in our fast-paced, information-filled lives. During this season of Thanksgiving, I wonder whether God is urging me to relish my everyday joys. A slower mindset is a nice way to enter the Advent season...I’m not sure how long I can make that last. Hopefully, God will be patient with me when I forget and begin rushing around again. Here’s hoping that I will experience a richer sense of everyday joy….we’ll see!