SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
Don’t Forget
the Joy
It’s elusive but you
can find it
9
• Building a friendship. In the
give and take, in the mutual
support, a friend is found and
joy may be produced. Our busy
society does not lend to friend
making. Yet there are countless
ways to foster a friendship at
church, at work and in service,
and in this joy may be found.
And joy may be found in doing
what we are passionate about.
Explore your interests. Assess your
daily activities. Look at volunteer
Ronald Reagan was the
40th president.
opportunities.
You may find joy in
a particular
Golden Girls” were fast becoming
friends one.
on their first season
Joy can
be our
constant
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and
twenty
cents.
panion. It is a grace given by a God
who loves us. Joy is something to
treasure.
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About the author:
by Jean Jeffers, Staff Writer
Millie went to work at Catholic Charities after she became
unemployed. Her job there was as
a volunteer. She worked each day
with refugees coming from third
world countries. The job became a
joy in her life. In fact, every day she
worked held joy for her.
Joy is a special but forgotten
emotion. Too often, much of our
life is lived on autopilot. How may
joy be experienced when there is
no awareness of what is going on
in our spirit, mind or body? Joy
comes to us from within and does
not depend on happiness or even a
satisfying life.
Attempting to find joy may be
elusive. It is not possible to elicit
joy directly; it is generally considered a byproduct of living in a
healthy and holy manner. It may
even be a fleeting thing. It is not
always clear what will bring us joy,
so joy may be hard to discover.
One way to bring joy is by being
grateful. Not only is gratitude a
positive emotion, this attribute can
be developed as a habit over time,
and it’s a sure way to find joy. Doing something for others, whether
through giving a miniscule gift or
by service or sharing a talent, is another way to bring joy. Often we do
things automatically for our family
or close friends. If we think about
Jean is an RN and freelance
writer. She is a staff writer for
Living Well 50 Plus and Health &
it, it makes us open to joy.
that and you find joy.
Wellness magazines. She has writJoy may be found in a job well
• Communing with nature.
ten in the past for Diabetes Health,
done, just as Millie discovered.
Whether it’s sitting on the
Infinity Magazine and Today’s
Individuals may do the same job
bough of
a tree,Reagan
enjoying
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Mature Years.
for years and never find joy. What“The Golden
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makes the difference? Part of the
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A gallon
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several years, working toward a
answer may be in how we perlants for producing joy.
master’s degree in religion.
ceive our work and what we say to
ourselves and others about the job.
Do you ever hear someone say, “I
hate my job” or “This job stinks”?
Perhaps you have said them yourJoin us for
self. These statements may be true,
but they certainly do not promote
feelings of joy. It’s much better to
find little things about work that
bring heart to the job. Doing things
for others on the job is rewarding
as well.
•
Thinking of others and being
Join us for
Join us for
considerate and kind move us
Dinner 4:30-7:00pm with Violinist Bryce Farrar
toward joy. You could develop the
habit of writing notes to loved ones Carriage Rides by Lexington Livery 5:00-7:00pm
or, in a newer concept, having a
Dixieland
Band
5:30-7:30pm
• 4:00-7:00
Thursday,
Thursday,
May 9th
May
9th • 4:00-7:00
pm
pm
blog for friends and family. Doing
–
Since
1985
–
considerate things without
seeking
4:30-7:00pm
Dinner 4:30-7:00pm
with Violinist
Bryce
Violinist
Farrar
Bryce
Kindly RSVP toDinner
859-278-9080
by with
May
6th
–