Tiny Packages of Joy
Hints of Gladness
Hints of Gladness, January 26, 2023
It’s a foggy morning and it’s another one of those “the air is wet days.”
It’s not really raining, but there are particles of moisture in the air making me wet.
Again today the creek provides a hint of gladness
The sound and the sight of the ripples.
I pick up feelings from the creek…
Gentleness through its gentle movement and gentle sounds.
It’s the morning of the duck!
I love the different colors of their feathers.
Video meditation: Watch, listen, and be conscious of your breath…
A large seal swims under the bridge when I’m standing on it and I get to share the sight with a trail buddy.
Excitedly he says, “who gets to see this shit, but you and I!?!”
I have a nice chat with someone walking their daughter in a stroller.
He mentions how much he loves the nature around here and walking these trails with her.
Geez, what a morning. I can almost cry from the joy of it. Overwhelmed by hints of gladness.
As I wrap up this walk on the trail that leads to the road, I’m hearing Birdsong.
A joyful blessing to go into my day!
Hints of Gladness, January 27, 2023
Cool clean air feels immediately refreshing when I step out the door.
Taking pictures of some red berries or blossoms (I’m not exactly sure what they are, or what they are called) a large deer bounds across the road (photo above) about 100 feet away from me.
The gentle sound of a tiny creek
Birdsong in January
Are sounds like this meant to touch our souls?
I think they are.
They are the Universe’s gift to us.
Tiny packages of joy.
Hints of gladness!
_ _ _ _ _
I’m working on a course that’s going to talk about appreciation and I was reminded today about a very simple thing.
It’s easy to forget that we get to choose our attitude.
When I choose to be appreciative, that changes my energy and outlook on life.
I value life more when I practice appreciation; when I change the channel from negativity, or whatever other sort of negative state I find myself in, to appreciation. I move to a more positive state, a more healthy state, so why not!?!
Do you know what keeps you from joy?
.
.
.
.
Shame.
Shame is the belief that you are irreparably flawed and broken and that nothing will ever change.
I’ve lived with this feeling nearly all my life.
I have made some headway now and again, but it never hurts for me to be reminded that my true nature is peace and joy - not shame.
It also helps to have some tools to gently work with when I become aware of shame.
Over time, applying things like acceptance, connection with others and nature, and learning to love me and others unconditionally (with the help of my higher power) makes a difference.
I found through experimentation with this Hints of Gladness project that writing down and recording the things that give me a spark of joy helps me be more joyful.
This practice grounds me in joy and helps me to embody it a tiny bit more.
The Sufis call these hints of joy, “hints of the beloved.”
May we know love.
May we become love.
May we know joy.
May we become joy.
The love and joy that we already are.
(At least that’s what I’m told we are.
I haven’t fully grasped that yet!)
Experientially, love and joy are never far away when you choose them and act on them.
Invitation to self and others…
Do the things that you enjoy.
Be around people that are loving and joyful.
Ask your higher power for, and be open to, joy and love in your life.
Learn to recognize it and accept it when it’s knocking at your door.
I believe it’s always knocking.
You just need to answer with openness and willingness.
Be gentle.
Does the voice in your head resist being joyful and say, love and joy are not for you?
Mine does.
It says you can try, but it won’t work.
You’ll just go back to your depressed and unloving self eventually.
What I try and do is simply be with that voice.
Be kind to that voice.
Unconditionally love the negative voice.
That way both the negative and the positive can be used for your awakening and embodiment of love in your life.
_ _ _ _ _
Hints…
The softness of trees. I touch the needles of a fir tree and they are remarkably soft.
Hints of Gladness, January 29 and 30, 2023
The cold winter air is accompanied by sunshine!
A young eagle flies by as I approach the inlet.
Because of the cold, it’s pretty quiet on the inlet. Just as I say that some geese start squawking away
The ice crackles above the tidewater underneath.
The look of the frosty boardwalk.
A gang of ducks near the bridge must think I have food. Sorry, that’s not my jam.