I once read a book titled Living A Beautiful Life. I admit this is not the kind of book that most men would read. The book was generally about the little things we can do for ourselves to make life seem beautiful and special. For example, I would only drink bad coffee from a Styrofoam cup in the most extreme of circumstances. I am more likely to drink “special” coffee from a beautiful mug. On one of my recent trips to Gatlinburg I bought a coffee mug from a local potter. On the side of the mug it says “Paw Paw”. The mug is a thing of beauty. I thought about this today when I was reading a chapter in Thich Nhat Hahn's Peace Is Every Step. It is a book about the practice of mindfulness and the chapter was about joy. How much real joy do you have in your life? What gives you joy? Are you awake enough in your life to recognize moments that give you joy? A few things that give me joy, in no particular order, are my granddaughter, hummingbirds, great coffee, music, a cool breeze, a beautiful sunrise or sunset, anything with cinnamon on it, friends, laughter, moments of oneness with the universe, a great nap, weekends, anytime I feel good, books, an ice cold import beer, movies that touch my heart and soul, and on and on and on. We all know that life is hard and at times can be very challenging. Much of life can be depressing and discouraging. Life is often unfair and unpredictable. People talk about love all the time but it often seems scarce and many people feel unloved. Joy can be the antidote for all in life that does not uplift our spirits. Be awake today. Open your eyes. Joy happens!
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