Life is short and unpredictable. As I watch my perfect little grandbabies grow up so much faster than any of us want, I am reminded of this. When I watch the news, I am reminded of this. In the ups and downs of any given day, week, season, I am reminded of this.
I had the chance to spend a little time with a phenomenal woman this week who reminded me of it as well. She shared a story from her past that taught her, at much too young an age, that life is short and unpredictable. But instead of choosing to live a life full of fear and apprehension and anger as a result, she chose to live a life full of joy. The lesson she chose to take from her earliest experience with loss was that because we don’t know what any moment will bring, we should learn to find as much joy as we can. And then protect it.
Protect your joy!
What a life lesson for us all. Find our joy. Then protect it with everything we have.
What does that look like? How do we do that?
Life is full of decisions. We have to decide if we want to accept that invitation to a social gathering or decline in order to spend the night at home. We have to decide if we want to take a class or apply for a new job or move to a new city. Sometimes the decision is as small as whether or not ask a friend to lunch; sometimes the decision is as big as whether or not to end a long-term relationship. There are so many lenses through which we can look at things when making decisions. I like this new one. What will protect my joy?
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not proposing we abandon logic and reason, compassion for others, care and service to our fellow travelers on this planet. There is always a lot to consider when making decisions of importance. But I’m adding this new thing to my thinking. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to find my joy. It’s worth protecting.
Be That Person 