By Mary Boutieller
We must find joy when and where we can for our own sanity and well-being.
Where does joy come from, and how do we access it when so much is going on in the world? How do we smile, feel happy, and go about our day with a skip in our step, when it seems so many people are suffering?
Do we have a right to be happy, even if only in the moment in front of us?
I struggle with these questions sometimes, and the more I read (or hear about) the news, the more laden down I can feel by the seriousness of it all.
And yet, just the other day, I was dancing in my living room to a rendition of “Dancing in the Moonlight” by the band Toploader, and I was smiling at the sweetness of the song and the precariousness of life and the necessity of finding joy when and where we can because we must—for our own sanity and well-being.
You see, joy is not the opposite of suffering, but instead alights on the spectrum of emotion and experience. As humans, we will all know our share of suffering if we are lucky enough to live full lives. The secret, then, is not to avoid pain at all costs, but to embrace the good every chance we get, so that we always remember the light at the end of the tunnel. The miracles in our lives never cease. The light is always there. The joy we seek is but a “dance in the living room” away from being real.
Thich Nhat Hahn said, “Around us, life bursts with miracles: a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops. If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere. When we are tired and feel discouraged by life’s daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there.”
When our lives are going well, it’s easy to notice the amazing-ness of life. When challenges arise, however, we may have to dig a little deeper to find joy and appreciation. Certainly, the obstacles are there, yet so is the path.
When do you feel light-hearted and what can you do to access it more often? What is it that feeds your soul’s longing for levity?
The brilliant Mary Oliver said, “How could there be a day in your whole life that doesn’t have its splash of happiness?”
Maybe the whole purpose of our lives is to feel and share joy, to love and laugh and, sometimes, be ridiculously silly. If not now, when would be the appropriate time to stop taking ourselves so seriously?
In his song “The Little Things”, Carlos Bertonatti sang, “If life has taught me anything, it’s all about the little things. Oh yeah.”
I believe it is all the little things that make our lives worth living, that bring us joy and urge us on to live another day. Be on the lookout for those things that bring a smile to your face. Laugh, dance, and be your own amazing self. The world will be better for it. Oh yeah!
Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.