Choosing Joy

 

This topic brings to mind the poignant story of a little Cherokee boy and his grandfather. One night a Cherokee man and his grandson were sitting by the fire. The man told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside of people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One wolf is error. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other wolf is good. It is love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, compassion, faith, truth and joy. The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

 

So we have a choice amid the challenges we face whether to feed negativity or to feed joy. Which one are you going to feed?

 

Even if you are feeding the good wolf and going about your business with great joy, something can suddenly come along and zap your joy. Maybe someone cuts you off in traffic, or the line at the bank is too long, or your boss criticizes a project you worked on for weeks. Or what about when your spouse or partner comes home grouchy or your mother presses your buttons? These are some of the joy zappers that seem to deplete us of joy. When we react and get angry or worry, we only add to the negative energy. But nothing can zap your joy. That's because joy is an inside job. Unlimited joy is our divine birthright, and we can access it all the time.

 

Gandhi says, "There is nothing that wastes the body, like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever."

 

When we worry, we are saying that there is God and something else. It is a belief in duality when in reality God is all there is. Mystics teach that at one time the humans, angels and cosmic beings walked hand and hand on Earth. The humans played with the idea of separation from our Creator and thought separation was possible. Before long, a veil appeared in the human's consciousness and no longer did we see the cosmic beings but only remembered them in dreams and as vague memories in our minds.

 

The truth is we are never separated from God, from our Source and when we get this and move beyond thinking it and knowing it to living it and experiencing it, we can't fall back into the lies of the Joy Zappers.  In John 16:22, he says: "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no one can take from you." John is telling us that nothing can take your joy from you because you already have it.

 

The Secret of Joy

 

Want to know the simple secret for developing everlasting joy? To experience joy, give joy. When we give joy, it expands just like when you put yeast into dough. The yeast has the ability to expand. But until you add hot water, it doesn't activate. It's like that with joy. We have it inside of us ready and waiting to expand. All we do is activate it with faith, love, gratitude, self-less service, reverence for life and prayer.

 

This Easter week as you go about your lives, I invite you to activate and expand the joy in your life whether you are doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, at work, at the doctor's office, talking to a cranky person or wherever you go and whatever you are engaged in. Remember to feed the wolf of good to raise your joy levels today!