Happiness is a Pair of Hiking Boots

Happiness, Joy, Bliss... whatever you call it, is something we all want and at times feels very difficult to achieve, let alone sustain.

Children seem to have a natural joyfulness about them, taking pleasure and showing glee in so many things.  The joy seems to practically bubble out of them in waves of exuberant energy.  Lucky them!

What happpens? How do we lose that joy?  More importantly how to we learn to get it back - to cultivate joy in our lives?  Maybe like our gardens it needs to be looked after and maintained.  Removing the weeds that wrap around and strangle our joy and nuturing the joy by "feeding" ourselves meaningful moments and being grateful.

For me joy seems to come in small unexpected moments that I want to savour like a delicious piece of chocolate melting slowly on my tonge.  Moments that fill my heart and feed my soul.  Moments that later (when I am feeling not so joyful) I can recall and use to soothe whatever stress or hurt is in the present.  Moments that are worth remembering and repeating.  They don't have to be big moments - the truly joyful moments string together over your lifetime, creating a long woven colourful tapestry that is uniquely ours.

Whatever your truly joyful moments are (like putting on your hiking boots) - grab them and savour them when you can.

Happy Sunflowers

Joy seems to me a step beyond happiness.  Happiness is a sort

of atmosphere you can live in sometimes when you're lucky. 

Joy is a light that fills you with hope and faith and love.

- Adela Rodgers St. Johns