December is a 'Time for Joy'

What does Joy mean to you? When I was thinking about Joy there were many thoughts that came to my mind.

Joy is a memory.
Joy is a present moment.
​Joy is something that can be shared but is not tangible.
Joy can be as simple as laughter.
Joy is something that warms your heart and fills your soul with a deep sense of happiness and peace.

​Joy is safe, warm, and calm.
Joy can also be moments of energy that excite and inspire.
Joy is not complicated, but simple in its presentation, and can almost surprise us at its existence.
Joy feels like my heart's way of singing or dancing.
Joy is a wonder; a journey.
Joy is the time and energy I give to others to create their joy.

As I am pausing after a busy day to write and contemplate this Joy, I realize that I have found it. In the stillness at the end of the day, reflecting on the memories of joyful moments that I can re-live as I sit and ponder. Without any distractions - no phone, no TV, no music - I have only a pen, notebook, and a dim lamp to illuminate my thoughts to the Joy I need now.

​Is Joy time? It could be. We all recognize that a lack of time is not Joyful. Rushed or busy schedules often don't bring Joy. Could it be that creating more empty spaces of time could allow us the freedom to discover Joy? If we made time for Joy what would that look like? Or do we simply need to notice the Joy in our present moments? Maybe Joy is how we choose to spend our time.

How would you go about creating more 'Time for Joy'? What would that look like for you?

​What does Joy have to do with art? Everything!

Art embodies Joy; it expresses the singing of our souls on paper, on canvas, through actual song, or in many other forms. When I feel Joy, I am more in tune to the music of my art.

I often hear artists say they create well when they are emotionally distraught, and for some, that might be true. For me, the creative process is better when I feel more Joy in my life.

There are times during creating when I do not feel joy. I might struggle with a piece, get angry, want to give up, and think if there isn't constant Joy maybe it isn't worth pursuing. But sometimes Joy comes as the reward for working through the pain, suffering, and challenges of creativity. I struggle, knowing that Joy will come eventually, and I let that be my motivation.

I believe that we all want Joy and crave it even if we might not know how to find it. Perhaps we aren't sure we want to put in the effort it takes to create the Joy we want in life, or in our art practice. Both the struggle for joy and the pain are necessary. We must experience both to feel the full strength of its opposite.

I ask myself; what am I willing to sacrifice to find more Joy? To create my Joy? What am I willing to go through to find my joy? What will I let go of to continue in my Joy?

As you reflect on Joy this month, I encourage you to broaden your perspective on what it means to you and how you will go about finding more Joy for yourself and to share with those around you.

It is a 'Gift' to make 'Time for Joy'.