Celebrating The Joy Of Life

Collaborative Post

When was the last time you actually started to enjoy your life? When was the last time you actually felt something approaching joy? You see, many of us spend our days just getting through each day, rather than spending the day literally and metaphorically stopping to smell the roses. We spend our days grappling with household chores, worrying about money, and busying ourselves with things that don't matter. We spend our days regretting the things that might have been instead of enjoying the life we have been given. We sometimes forget what life can truly offer us because we let every other facet of our lives grind us down.

But listen, God gave you a life to live! And by living, we mean LIVE it, don't just endure it. Take time to experience what life has to offer you, and find those things that will bring you both happiness and joy.

Spend time exploring the place you live, visiting places that interest you, and gaining new hobbies. Take in occasional shows or live events, and visit the new food places that open up to satisfy your taste buds. Walk in the park once in a while, and gaze at God's beauty. And explore new pathways, and enjoy the surprises that may welcome you around each new corner.

Spend time enjoying the small joys in life, be that the breeze of the air as you are on a walk, or the joys of water as you swim or splash. Notice the flowers, the greenery, and the birds in the air. Listen to children laughing, and watch their childlike play. And follow suit, remembering that you don't have to let grown-up concerns consume you. Find those things that will make you laugh, and spend time in play, with your kids or your friends. And try and maintain that childlike sense of wonder and awe, as if seeing the world through new eyes again.

Be grateful for what God has given you, including the people who love and care for you. Be grateful for your health, and the body you have. Be grateful for your job, or the things you have that pass the time. Show gratitude for the big things and the small things, instead of moaning and complaining about those things you wished you could have, or for the person you wished you might have been. Your life won't be perfect, but there will be things you can be thankful for.

Celebrate the joy of life with others, With your family and friends, have fun together, indoors and outdoors. Go for walks, take part in hobbies together, and spend nights cuddled up on the sofa, with conversation and laughter. Go on vacation with the people you love, and share each other's travel bucket lists. Hug one another, hold hands with one another, and step out into the world with one another, making the most of the life that God has given all of you. This is life, and in all its many facets, there will be something worth celebrating.

So, stop, and think. Where is your mindset today? Are you feeling tired, stressed, or just plain irritated? Have you stopped celebrating the joy of life? If so, reflect for a moment, and then be thankful for what you have, and start living your life to its fullest, rather than living each day like the last one. Celebrate the joy of life, and thank God for what He has blessed you with.