Looking for joy? You’re not the only one, as evidenced by the appearance of articles in New York, Quebec and Johannesburg. For a lighter approach, try Harvey MacKay’s “Lessons in life from the tale of a dog”, published in The Times Union in Albany, New York. Harvey says, “We can learn a lot from dogs. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.” He goes on to add other suggestions on being happy from our four-legged friends:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
• Take naps.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Let people touch you.
• When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

If you have a more scientific mind, you might like “What do you mean, be happy?” from The Gazette in Quebec, Canada. Here they reference reports and papers like the 2006 “The Happiness Hypothesis” by academic Jonathan Haidt. For something more editorial in nature, check out Sarah Britten’s “A small thing of joy is a beauty forever” in The Times from Johannesburg, South Africa. Sarah notes, “It is more necessary than ever to find joy in the sort of thing that, in the past, one might have overlooked; to expand it beyond all proportion and celebrate wildly.” Whichever suits your fancy, it’s nice to see something as simple as good old fashioned joy getting a nod or three from the press.

It’s becoming increasingly like fall: cold and sometimes foggy in the morning and warming to near 70 degrees by mid-afternoon.  And it’s almost Halloween.  A fall tradition for us is taking the family (and in this case, two families) to the pumpkin patch to select the all-important pumpkins for carving.  We take the hay ride from the farm out to the field — which is a joy in itself — then we each romp around looking for THE pumpkin.  This year, it was so much fun to watch the kids and their friends.  The boys both selected pumpkins so big they could hardly carry them, and the girls were just so happy to find one that was cute and round and just the right size.

Spending a hour out on a farm, surrounded by moist earth, acres of plump orange pumpkins and giggling children.  That’s a pretty joyous afternoon.

I put off my quest for joy yesterday until I could stop the rumbling in my belly — it was after 2pm and I was beyond hungry.  I grabbed a soft taco from cart row and made my way to Pioneer Square to sit in a pleasant place to eat in the sun.  While enjoying my late lunch I found myself tapping my toes to a lively beat that could be heard for blocks.  Strong, bold, rhythmic tones emanated from the corner on the next street.  It was happy, vibrant music.  I walked to where I could see this wonderful man rapping wood on plastic so enthusiastically that I couldn’t help but smile.  Watching from a fair distance away, I saw several people do a little dance as they walked by him.

After five minutes or more of enjoying the music, enjoying the musician and the people he moved to movement, I wanted to give something back to this man who was spreading joy to so many.  I hopped into Starbucks, bought him a cup of coffee, put some money in his jar and thanked him for livening up the corner with his soulful music.  It was clear to me he was doing what he loved, and in addition to the joyful  sounds, I spied joy in his spirit; and it rippled out from that street corner into the ears and toes and hearts of many of us fortunate passers by.

It’s been over a month now that I’ve been on this quest to spy joy and I’ve noticed a few things.

1) Joy is most easily and most often found in children.  Children are quick to run and laugh and play.  They do not hesitate to have a good time.  I used to think this was because they aren’t worn down by the pressures and stress we adults shoulder every day.  That’s not fully true.  Children have their own pressure and stress and although we can see missing recess for a day is a trifle, to them it’s monumental.  The difference is they let it go.  They sulk and pout for 20 or even 40 minutes, but then it’s gone and forgotten and they’ve found another game to play.  And children are transparent: feel joy, smile and laugh; feel sad, cry and pout. 

2) The visual effects of joy are fleeting.  The expression of it flashes in the glint of an eye, a lift of an eyebrow, a smile that washes over a face before dispersing into a pool of time that quickly becomes the past. If camera isn’t in hand and ready, the moment disappears uncaptured. 

3) Joy, while abundant as ever, goes unseen.  We’re at a point in time where we seem to be looking for misery.  We anticipate sorrow and pain and so we find it.  It’s not that there’s any more of it then before, it’s just that we’re choosing to focus on it. Think life isn’t good? Was your coffee warm and satisfying this morning when you took that first sip?  Did you enjoy a warm shower and the clean, fresh scent of soap today? Were you greeted with a smile and a hug from your child or spouse or friend or coworker? Did your electricity work this morning?  Was the commute to work happily uneventful because your car is reliable? Did you have food to nourish your body and music to soothe your soul? Clothes that are comfortable and warm? We are met with joy and wonder at every turn. If we just allow ourselves to see it we will realize life is a fabulous, marvelous, delicious gift.  Savor it. Breathe it into the depths of you and be thankful for every single second.  Joy lives.

One of the great joys of summer is a gathering of friends and family for a late afternoon soiree.  I had the pleasure of indulging myself at just such a gathering this past weekend. We spent the entire time outside – on the deck, in the hammocks, soaking in the late summer sun. I spied joy in young children, puppy dogs and dear friends, and quiet a bit of it in myself.

A great article about finding joy appeared on Fosters.com today. Maggie McCauley of Berwick, Maine, says in her piece “Happiness At Work Comes From Within”:

“The first thing we must know is that joy is not a peak experience; it’s a natural experience. It is having a true sense of peacefulness, not the exuberance? or what I call the “Yahoo!” moments that we know. It is the simple smile, the acknowledgment. Joy isn’t fleeting. Joy is “in there” all the time. Just like the sun on a cloudy day. Joy never goes away.”

She goes on to explain that she feels there are three aspects of life that help us stay connected to our joy: gratitude, community and self-care. Read Maggie’s article on Happiness.