30 Days of Joy: Day 6-Celebration

When I sat down to select my topic for today, I wasn't sure which one I would choose.  I have a lot of joy in my life right now; so I usually pick a topic that relates to something that is currently going on.  Last night I had the pleasure of taking care of my granddaughter while my daughter-in-law (and son) attended her twin brothers' high school graduation.  I am glad that they were able to be there.  We have been wondering if she would make it since her baby is due any day now.  While it is usually a long ceremony, it is truly a time to celebrate!

Celebrations are important.  They commemorate the milestones in our lives.  We celebrate birthdays and holidays.  We celebrate retirements and accomplishments like graduations.  It has been so many years since I graduated from high school that I don't remember much about it.  However, I have stronger memories of when I graduated from college, and I have vivid memories of when I graduated from graduate school with my master's degree.  Occasions to celebrate are important to all of us, and I believe that they are memorable celebrations when they are shared with friends and family.

The graduations that are really the most memorable for me are when my sons graduated from high school.  It is such an emotional experience when your child accomplishes this rite of passage into adulthood. The other one was when I graduated from graduate school because my children were there.  I thought that it was important for them to see me graduate.  It is June, and many people are celebrating graduations by holding parties where they invite their school friends, their parent's friends, and family.  I hope that you are looking forward to seeing these young men and women in these celebrations of their accomplishments.

 June is also a month for weddings.  I have a friend who is getting married next weekend.  She has been planning and working on this for a very long time.  Marriage is a wonderful event in our lives, and I love going to weddings.  The celebration of two people joining their lives before friends and family is so joyful and exciting!  It is truly a beginning of a new life for them.  Anniversaries are times when couples celebrate their commitment to each other.  In July, I have been invited to a 50th Wedding Anniversary.  This event to commemorate a lengthy, successful marriage is a wonderful milestone to celebrate.  I can't wait!

As you have read in my blogs, my daughter-in-law is expecting a baby any day now.  This is truly something to celebrate-a new life!  We are so excited to meet this little guy.  Today I received an invitation to a baby shower for some friends.  This is the second baby shower I will have attended for friends recently.  What a hopeful, exciting experience this is with good food, great gifts, and loving friends and family.  

We should always look for occasions to celebrate like when someone gets a new job, finishes a big assignment, completes a semester of classes or teaching.  It is important for them to share these accomplishments with friends and family.  All of these celebrations are important times in our lives, but they become a true celebration in the sharing with people who love and care about the celebrant!  They can be moments of great joy for all involved.  So, I hope that you will be celebrating something wonderful in the near future.   And as always...

Have you found your joy today?

30 Days of Joy: Day 1-Smile

Have you ever noticed how great you feel when someone really smiles at you?  I'm not talking about a fake smile.  I'm talking about a genuine smile.  They make eye contact with you, and you can see it in their eyes.  It is a moment when you have made a connection with another human being.  It's a pretty magical moment.

If you are a parent, that moment when your baby first smiles at you is so powerful.  You can feel the impact of the parent-child bond from this one interaction.  It effects you emotionally and physically.  Your emotions well up, and you smile back.  It is as if you are saying, "Hey, you!  I know you."  The joy that the parent and child feel at this moment is unmistakable.

 I still feel that way as a parent.  My children are grown, but nothing touches me more than when my sons smile at me.  Now that I am a grandmother, I also experience joy when I see my granddaughter.  When she first sees me, she smiles and waves.  Her smile is so precious-it melts my heart!

I make it a point to smile when I interact with people I meet in public-especially with store clerks.  I always ask how they are.  It amazes me how often I take them by surprise.  Sometimes they appear so grumpy when I first approach them, but they light up when they smile and realize that I do see them as a human being.

 I'll never forget when I asked a clerk at ToysRUs how she was doing as I smiled at her.  She looked like she could rip my head off when I first put my purchases on the conveyor belt.  However, when I asked about her day, she started to tell me that she had been working for over 8 hours and that she had been up at night with her baby who was sick.  The more we talked, the more she relaxed.  By the end of that brief encounter, she was smiling again.  I like to think that I made an impact on her for that short amount of time.  I also think that those coming after me encountered a human being who was more relaxed and congenial.

I have a friend who always smiles.  She has a smile that would light up a room.  Since I have known her, she has encountered financial problems and the loss of a loved one.  She has struggled through the trials of raising her children and supporting her husband during unemployment.  She has worked endless hours even when sick.  Yet through it all, she always smiles.  She is truly an inspiration for me.  I believe that she is also an inspiration for many other people.  I know that she is loved by all of us.  If I ever need a pick-me-up, she is the one I would like to see.  I am truly blessed by her loving smile.

Don't forget the power of a smile.  As you find your joy today, take the time to reflect and smile about it.  See if you can start a Circle of Joy today.  If you are meeting other people, be sure to acknowledge them with a smile.  I hope that you will find someone who will return the favor so that you can bask in their smile and feed your joy.  Keep giving and searching...

Have you found your joy today?