JOY in 2020

As we approach Christmas next week and begin to wrap up this monumental year of 2020, I am compelled to write a little bit about JOY.  Okay, you can roll your eyes, but bare with me as I reflect.  As many of you know, joy is a concept that has struck a deep chord with me since the moment I became a mom, eight years ago.  The depth and infinite nature of such a small three letter word continues to inspire me, intrigue me, challenge me, and drive me every single day.  

Why am I so focused on Joy?  I think we can all name at least one or two people in our lives that live with a joy that’s immediately evident the second you meet them.  You know – the person who’s smile is contagious and makes all your anxieties seem pretty petty.  That person inspires me. I strive to be that person, but honestly I fall short regularly, as I toil with my own insecurities, small stressors, to-do lists, and social media comparisons.  And that’s okay with me – I know I’m a work in progress!!  But this year – 2020 – has brought forth a whole new challenge for me to find and embrace that joy.  Lets face it, a lot of us have had some pretty ugly moments trying to walk through this new reality of the pandemic.  And yet, we’ve made so many epic, amazing, awesome memories this year as well.  While SO MUCH has been stripped away from us, we still have SO MUCH to be grateful for. We are blessed to have each other and are cherishing this gift of extra time and bonding.  Honestly, I continue to learn the most about joy from my babies. Their innocence in embracing all of the small things is just so incredible!

 This past weekend at our church, our ever-inspiring pastor, Father John Britto, spoke on the concept of joy.  He quoted David Steindl-Rast as saying: “What is joy?  Joy is the happiness that does not depend on what happens.   It is the grateful response to the opportunity that life offers you at this moment.”   This homily and quote really connected to my heart (and to be honest had me shed a tear).  2020 has provided our family some pretty amazing opportunities and challenged us to respond in gratitude.   Joy is not something we can create with momentary pleasures.    Sure, I love strolling through Target, dining out with a group of friends, watching an Irish victory, jamming to my music or digging into some dark chocolate.  But I’ve learned that joy cannot be created or bought with any of these things.  AND likewise, a lockdown, misfortune, pain, and difficult times do not have the power to remove true joy.   No – joy is a gift from God!   So, as I reflect on all of this and my journey this year, I commit to accepting this Blessing of Joy with an INTENSE GRATITUDE throughout this Christmas season. I do not wish 2020 away but I promise to enter 2021 with a new understanding of my quest for embracing joy.

How about you, my friends? What does JOY mean to you? Has 2020 had a few blessings in disguise for you as well?

Wishing all of you a Blessed, healthy, JOY-filled, Christmas!!

~Rachel