There is something spiritual about joy.
A rich mixture of happiness, delight, gladness, and wonder combine in our depths to create a sense of reverence and awe.
That's the difference. It is like refraction of light through a glass prism The light is bent and deviated, leaving the prism as a rainbow. Joy changes us and everyone around us.
We have been told over and over again that wealth and wellbeing are one and the same.
Can it really be that money and the economy are what hold the keys to our happiness and morality?
A humanitarian and author I admire thinks not.
Gregory Boyle, who lives and works with gang members in Los Angeles, said during a conference in Memphis that there is a much more meaningful path to follow;
It’s where the joy is, follow the joy, it’s about the joy
Georgia O’Keeffe
“Everyone sees the big things, but these smaller things are so beautiful and people might not notice them if I didn't emphasize them.”
Georgia O’Keeffe, the artist known for her striking perspectives and innovations was asked in an interview about why flower petals and other small objects were magnified making them appear larger than mountains or skyscrapers in her landscapes.
She replied that "Everyone sees the big things, but these smaller things are so beautiful and people might not notice them if I didn't emphasize them."
Miracles can be found everywhere if only we pay attention.
When embraced and appreciated fully we will experience the internal and eternal presence of authentic joy.
The awe of joy, that refracted rainbow, leads to our heart of hearts, our true selves, where God is always waiting with open arms. I've experienced such bliss at the birth of my children and grandchildren or while hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains to sit at the base of a 'hidden' waterfall.
I feel it while sitting in the living room with my wife and hear it in the voices of old friends over the phone. The world stops for a moment and what is important becomes clear. I witnessed one of those times at the former Children's Home of Vermilion County in Danville, Illinois.
As a child care worker, I had joined in an effort with other service providers to reunite four children ages 6-12 with their mother. They had lived at the facility for over a year with no family contact allowed due to allegations of abuse from the father and negligence of responsibility by the mother.
Even after the father was safely in prison and mother was cleared of all related charges, the State of Illinois DCFS was unwilling to bring them back together. Six months of diligent pleas and hard work finally resulted in a softening of their position.
On Christmas Eve there was a group banquet and gift exchange for the kids and staff in the main dining area. As a local church choir sang "O Holy Night" the mother of our four kids appeared from behind the lights and garland at the doorway. The youngest boy looked up and shouted "MAMA" followed by shrieks from his brother and sisters.
They rushed together in a group hug that almost knocked mother down. The incredible radiance which filled them spilled over to us all. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. It cannot be denied that this moment manifested the awe of joy.
So, as we observe Christmas, Advent, Hanukkah. Kwanzaa or other seasonal celebrations, may we follow the joy. It will take us beyond traditions and rituals to the sacred, silent night where suddenly refracted light fills the empty space, redirecting every heart, mind and soul.