Flowers in California

Flowers in California

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

On Some Joy Experienced

Within the last minute, I returned from the gym.  Walking to and from the gym was challenging on its own today; my ankles seem to work hard where's there snow on the ground.  But I made it home, if somewhat slowly.

While at the gym today, I experienced something really good.  I call it "Joy."  It was a wonderful feeling.

I don't know that I'm really good at feeling joy.  I guess I take things pretty seriously a lot of the time.  There are definitely things that bring me joy but I struggle a lot too.  Unexpected joy like I felt today is very welcome.

All I had to do today was use a machine that I hadn't used before.  While I really enjoyed the sensation of using that machine, I am more excited about something else.  I am 47 years old and it is so simple to still embrace more of life's offerings.  It's easy to kind of close down our frames of reference and pick and choose activities from what we've already done, from what we already know.  It's great if people enjoy living like that. But there are always new things to learn, new activities to try, and new vantage points from which to look. To me, it seems important to keep open to and to seek new possibilities throughout our lives. We never know what may become a source of happiness for us.

I anticipate that in the next day or two I will experience the feeling of "Agony" after today's new activity.  That's ok; the pain will wear off.  I hope to go back before the end of the week to use that machine again.  When we find a way to feel joy, it's nice to embrace it.  Perhaps it's not ideal to embrace fitness equipment in flu season and people often stare when we do but, metaphorically at least, we can try to embrace joy in all seasons.  And hope that people keep wiping down those machines all through the year.

JAHD



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