Indescribable Joy

"Contentment is found in the realization

of how much you already have."

Zen Saying

All of us could use a little more joy in our life, wouldn't you agree? The usual strategy we use to feel more joy is to get more stuff or do more things in our life that we think will make us feel more joyful. Of course, this game plan seldom works for long, as we are shown, over and over again, that joy is not something we can purchase or acquire in the world. We may even be in the most juicy relationship we have ever experienced, and it won't be long before the person we are with will no longer satisfy us in the way they once did. Let's face it, we are shown over and over again that everything 'out there' is a fleeting dream, and when we think it will bring us unending happiness, we are left feeling disillusioned once again.

Knowing this, what can we do to be immersed in the joy that we long for and know is possible in our lives? The answer is as easy as pausing, right now, taking a refreshing breath and having a look around you at the utter abundance that already fills your life. Right now, you are probably reading this in a comfortable space where you have a warm bed, indoor plumbing and a hot shower to keep your body shiny and clean. You probably also have a refrigerator full of food (unless you haven't been shopping in awhile, in which case, you can head down to your local grocery store after you finish reading, and choose from about a million different foods to make your next meal). There's probably a car sitting outside waiting to wisk you away to your next adventure, which, given your relative freedom, can be anywhere you choose to go. No doubt about it, our lives are filled with unparalleled abundance just waiting for us to wake up and appreciate what we have already been given.

Could it be that happiness and joy is just a matter of 'seeing' what is right in front of us already, and FEELING the absolute miracle of being alive? Take a moment to find out now; breathe joy to your heart, feel the aliveness in your body and call to mind three things that utterly delight you; i.e. your favorite song, or perhaps your favorite beverage, a friend that makes you laugh or your favorite restaurant where they serve your favorite food. Get a sense of how much abundance already fills your life and how content you feel when you remember this. Look and see that, when you're busy thinking about what you don't have, or what will make you happy in the future, you miss out on the sheer brilliance of life's rich pageant as it unfolds, here and Now.