From The Storyteller
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Hello All: When the days need more joy, these two suggestions may help. Enjoy, Doug.
Joy “The world is so filled with such wondrous things I’m surprised we’re not all just as happy as kings”, me sharing one of my father’s oft repeated sayings with Elaine, as we drink our early morning tea watching the night sky fade away. The night's rain had passed, and the fresh air and light breeze coming through our windows made our time magical. After a few moments she offers, “You can’t hug a mountain, but you can appreciate it”. Naturally I began thinking about the difference between the joy that flows out of an appreciation of something, and the joy that comes from embracing another living thing. While both can bring personal joy, their roots are different. One way to be as happy as a king is to simply hug more. Example: A friend keeps chickens and ducks, and the selfie videos he posts on FB shows him smiling ear to ear as he holds, pets, and gently talks to his birds. The look of joy on his face is unmistakable. A second way is to allow yourself the time to appreciate the world in which you live. The phrase, “Stop and smell the roses” isn’t just about flowers. Example: Elaine collects rocks, and the other day I’m watching her at our sink softly washing a large white quartz. She, too, was smiling ear to ear as she examined that quartz. I know that look - it’s one of joy. The joy of embracing is amazing. Start with your life partner, then expand to include your kids, parents, extended family, friends, and pets, and yes maybe even chickens. While you can’t hug a mountain, you can enjoy the trees, rocks, flowers and insects that are found there. The joy of appreciation is amazing also. Moral: Be royalty every day. |