The Joy Factor

Yesterday morning, as I so often do, I turned to my children for inspiration. We were all sitting around the breakfast table. Child #2 was grumbling about the lack of chocolate chips in his pancake. Child #1 was arguing that my policy of "You get what you get," when it comes to Flinstones vitamins wasn't fair if it meant she had to have Fred two days in a row.

"Let's talk about something else," I suggested. Truth be told, maybe it wasn't inspiration I needed as much as change of subject. "What brings you joy?"

They both stopped talking for a minute. Then they started to enumerate all the things that bring them joy. We're closing in on the end of school year and our lives are overwhelmed with joyful events. There are baseball parties, parades, plays, the fourth grade overnighter, the architecture exhibit, the choir concert, a birthday party, a sleepover, and the foregoing is a condensed version of what was a very long list.

I thought about their list as we walked to school in the pouring rain. By this time of year the rain, which has been falling incessantly since November, feels like the sworn enemy against me and my closet full of sundresses. But for some reason, yesterday it didn't bother me at all. 

In fact, I felt downright joyful. Was it because the kids were focused on the fun events in their near future or was it because I had looked at the weather and seen that it was supposed to be 77 degrees next week.

That's when it hit me. Anticipation is a huge part of joy.

My children are excited about what the next few weeks will bring. I'm looking forward to celebrating those events under sunny skies. The anticipation of all of those things is what makes us smile. Today, might be just an ordinary day. But the knowledge that tomorrow has the potential to be filled with friends, excitment, breaks in our routine, blue, blue skies and laughter is enough to carry us through and fill us with joy.



My favorite spot in the whole world!

I don't think it matters whether we're anticipating something big, like the fourth grade overnighter or a trip to a pristine island with white sand. Or whether it's something small, like sunshine and a sleepover.

 

The important thing, the joy factor, is to make sure every day we have something to look forward to tomorrow, next week, two months from now and in five years.

Which brings me to you. Are you anticipating anything special? What are the thoughts that make you smile and bring you joy no matter what the weather?