Men Are That They Might Have Joy

One of the challenges I face in life is to learn how to enjoy the journey as I go.  I am personally wired to work toward the end result so earnestly, that I forget to smile and enjoy the roses along the way.  And yet, I believe the real purpose and joy of life is found in the day to day, moment by moment experiences we have.  These small drops of joy gradually fill life with real purpose and meaning.

I often wonder why I didn't allow myself to play and have more fun with my children when they were young.  I worked hard to provide clean clothes, dinner on the table, piano lessons and bedtime stories.  So much needed to be done, it was difficult to rest.  We had experiences camping, singing and long talks.  But, did we have enough laughter and real moments during all these work and play activities?  Did we talk enough, laugh enough, hug enough, share enough?

One of my children's favorite moments was the memory of painting their faces and making bows and arrows from sticks with their Grandmother at Palisades cabin.  They helped feed the squirrels and chipmunks that crawled among the drift wood along the edge of the deck.  She knew how to take very ordinary things and make memories.  She played the organ each evening while we danced or listened, and her husband sat on the deck commenting on the beautiful water in the lake.  This scene was repeated every night.

It is easy to look back, but how do I examine the present?  What am I doing today to express my love and feel the happiness available to me?  For instance, yesterday, my husband was excited to tell me about his plan to take his first solo cross country flight.  And instead of smiling and being happy for him, I expressed concern over where he was going.  I missed a moment of happiness for myself and for him, and threw a cloud over his excitement.

Life is a combination of work and rest.  So, I view my challenge as one of focusing on 'how' I feel while I am doing either, and resisting the instinctive urge to worry, say no, or complain.  My new found mission statement is:  Find joy in the moment, not worry in the moment.  And perhaps I will discover ways to express and use the small, ordinary moments around me, to feel and create happiness and joy for myself and others.  

2 Ne 2:25
Adam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy.