My friends are always teaching me so much about joy!
This morning as I waited at a traffic light at the start of my long run, a man approached me carrying a plastic grocery bag with his belongings. He handed me a small card with the address of a homeless shelter and asked me if I new where it was. Examining the address, I pointed him in the right direction and told him it was about 5 blocks away. The light turned green, and we went our separate ways. Then I started crying. I thought about the man off and on during my run and wished him joy. This Christmas prayer by Fra Giovanni’s kept returning to my mind. What a beautiful reminder that we have everything we need to live with peace and joy. No home, no fancy car, no diamond earrings will bring it.
I salute you.
There is nothing I can give you which you have not,
but there is much that while I cannot give,
you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.
Take heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.
Take peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy.
Take joy.
And so at this Christmastime,
I greet you, with the prayer
that for you,
now and forever,
the day breaks
and the shadows
flee away.
Fra Giovanni’s Salutation (1513 AD)
Love it, I’ve been running in the mornings in the mountains behind my apartment and it’s been pure joy
Have to keep that in mind to find peace wherever we are.
mmm…I use to love me some mountain running right at my doorstep in Korea
That is beautiful and great reminder to enjoy each and every moment.
On one of my many early morning trips to therapy a few months ago, I noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me. It said, “Don’t let joy wait”. I thought that was a wonderful thought. Sometimes we get so busy thinking, “I will be happy when…” and forget about the moment. …….Then, I thought maybe the owner of the car’s name was Joy……