Ampersand Answers: Access to Joy

Joy gets easier to access when you

give it a real place in the day.

Rick Levine, Libra Horoscope 7.28.26 

The Question: 

How can I protect the place for joy in my life? 

&mpersand Answers: 

Ever thought about that? Do you have a slot for Joy on any date in your calendar? I don’t. Joy is a sneaky little angel, too. If I’m not on the look-out for it, I can miss it again and again. Why? 

Because joy is quiet. It’s an internal sense of well-being, all’s right in your world, everything’s gonna be okay, don’t worry-be happy contentment. Often, it’s fleeting. 

One way to rectify the oversight is to keep a small notebook with you. Label it after one of C. S. Lewis’ magical books, Surprised By Joy. Then, anytime a little flicker of joy pops up, jot it down. The perfect cup of coffee. All green lights. A raise. An A on your child’s spelling test. A sports win that pleased your husband. A friend’s graduation.  

Notice … they’re moments, not even minutes. Try it for a week—being surprised by joy. You’ll be astonished at how much there really is.