Happiness vs. Joy~

I thought I'd touch once again on the topic of happiness here at Nitty.Gritty. It seems to have come up over and over in different aspects of my life all week long. I find that interesting sometimes, when you almost see a 'theme' emerge in your life- for whatever reason. I will admit, it's been really great to have such a week. Not that I've done anything or really gone anywhere "spectacular", but I have felt happiness in a real way- mostly in the little things. If you're a "regular" here, you know what I mean in that. =)
Today it was a whole host of things sprinkled in with the not so wonderful things thay I sometimes find myself doing. I had to get myself out of bed after about 5 hours of sleep- which if you have a puppy or a newborn in your house, sounds like a really incredible thing! But for me it meant, Visine first thing, and then having to hustle four kids awake, make them breakfast AND coach them to eat said breakfast, getting them dressed...but not just into some old clothes. No. Today was 'spring picture day'...so I actually had to care about their hair- which meant taking time to comb it and/or wet it down and get Brock to take his shower, and then style hair. I rushed about to get all 8 shoes and 3 backpacks ready, and we were only a couple of minutes tardy.
I never did get to make my coffee...and I had been out too late to prep it and set the auto timer, so I was running on no caffeine. =)
Once I was up and running, I figured I might as well go get some essentials. I'm the kind of person who doesn't really care to shop for the 'disposables' from week to week so sometimes I just put it off. To the point of "almost pathetic" at times.
You could probably have turned it into a 'reality tv game' in my kitchen for a few days this week. Contestants would have been challenged to open the refridgerator and cupboards and actually find something appetizing to make. What do you do with a grapefruit, 2 gallons of milk (one whole, one 1%), a couple of tubs of pretend this is butter, a few eggs (fresh...not leftover colored ones from Easter- just so you don't start gagging here), a half a tub of sour cream, some cheese slices, assorted dressings, condiments and thai peanut sauce, OJ, and Reddi Wip? Oh yeah. I would love to see what Bobby Flay or Giada could do with that! =)
(We had French Toast with strawberries and whipped cream , and sausage links two nights ago...breakfast for dinner. That was our "best meal this week", according to my kids. I happen to love that as much as they do. Chip worked late all week.)
Basically we were down to the last package of toilet paper, minimal diapers, no "Ranch for dipping", and Tide was on sale. So I took the opportunity this morning to hit our local Target and hopefully bought up everything I need for the next two weeks.
After a quick stop at the grocery store, I had everything on my list (at least until we run out of milk, bread and eggs again), including frosted cupcakes- my 'impulse purchase'. What can I say? I couldn't pass up "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" on frosted cupcakes. I left one pack at Wyndham's therapy when I dropped her off for her sessions...and put some smiles on a few faces. I went home and had a little lunch and then a mini-Barbie Tupperware cupcake party with Ava and Bell. They loved it! It cost me a whole $3.29. I still have a few cupcakes left over too. =)
I was feeling tired for most the morning, but found after stocking up and getting free cupcakes, I wasn't noticing it quite so much. I capitalized on this 'burst of energy', and even "rode the cart" along with Ava in both the Target and Meijer parking lots.
Her spontaneous laughter made up for the coffee I had missed- and then some! She started chanting, "Go Mommy, go mommy, go mommy, go!" as the cart rolled toward the car. It just made me laugh. The two guys sitting in their cars watching me must have assumed I'd had a Triple Venti something at that point. Their faces almost made me laugh as much as Ava's chanting. =) I think it hit me then. Happiness to me is about the things that are available to me at any given moment in time- but I have to actually act or respond to those opportunities.
Does that make sense? It doesn't take money (or doesn't have to take money all the time), there's no flashing neon sign that says, "Happiness here.", and I think it's different for almost everyone. We're all unique and have different likes and dislikes and sense of humor and ways of looking at things. What I mean by that is, not everyone would get a thrill out of pushing the shopping cart quickly, and then hopping on it for a short ride through the parking lot. But I do. =)
It's up to each of us to seize those opportunities if we want to experience moments of happiness from time to time. Or days if you go on a Disney vacation..."the happiest place on earth". =)
For me, it showed up again today when I got my mail from the mailbox at the end of my drive. Two of the cards pictured here were in my mail today {Thanks, Laura...you made Brock & me happy!}. How can I not blog about Starbuck's after getting this little gem of a postcard.
"THANK YOU". On the flipside is a note about the giftcard I have to which they just added $5 bucks- just to say thanks. I mean c'mon...how does this huge corporate giant know that I am cynical to nearly every marketing ploy and scheme out there?! They just happen to send me a card (I love mail!) with a picture of a double-shot of espresso on it, telling me that my cute little card that I had just used up, now has an extra 5 dollars on it? They must be reading my blog to know that. =) I mean don't get me wrong. I'm the first to say that lattes are overpriced and that they're a 'luxury item' and that I don't deserve such goodness in my life...but when it showed up unexpectedly (along with a check from one of my CK layouts) I couldn't help but be happy.
Today, I spent some time with my kids outside in the sunshine and fresh air- playing "Ring around the Rosie" and other fun stuff, and tickling Ava while getting her dressed. I kissed my hubby and we shared "I love you's". I ate chips and homemade guacamole (yum!), and sang along with the radio blaring and even though I've still got bathtime and bedtime and I could use a few more drops of Visine right about now; I have to admit, my life looked happy.
Now I have to add, that as I am typing out this blog, Ava has dumped out all her Polly Pockets, her Little Pet Shops and a Discovery Toys foam/shape puzzle in addition to spreading out about 22 dvds- to decide which one she wanted to play first. To top it off, she said she wanted to go potty by herself (we're still working on potty training...so anytime she wants to "go by herself", I support that big girl decision 100%). This time though, it back-fired. She wasn't trying to go potty like a big girl, but instead was balling up wads of toilet paper and dropping them into the toilet. By the time I got "suspicious enough" {Moms- you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about here...it gets quiet a little too long!}, she had played long enough that I couldn't just flush and move on. I had to go in there and do some cleaning up.
That was just now. In the middle of blogging about happiness in my life. And do you know what? I'm still happy, because I realize that I'm lucky to have a little girl who is curious and who is trying to learn new things, and who stood back and said, "sorry" at precisely the right instance.
I jotted down a few notes while listening to the radio a couple of days ago. I don't even know who said it or why, and I am paraphrasing this off the top of my head, but the speaker was talking about happiness versus joy. It went something like this:
Happiness is the sailboat in life. It glides along and takes in the view and it's a beautiful thing. But, it can easily be thrown off-course, and tossed about. It is affected by the winds and the waves, and should the rains come, well, it isn't quite so easy to maneuver.
Joy is the submarine in life. It also glides along the water, but rather than riding the waves and be affected by the winds, it is submerged in it and stays on course. There may not be quite the scenery, but there is a comfort knowing nothing can thwart it's journey- from departure to arrival. It matter not if the rain comes or if the sun does or doesn't shine upon the sub. It's mission remains unchanged.
I just thought that was such a great example for how we should look at happiness and joy. I love happiness in my life. It is a wonderful thing. I wish more people could find happiness, or do a self-inventory and come up with little things they can do to experience it more often in life. Joy, I am finding, is something that takes effort. I believe it really is a matter of choice. I believe, as I wrote earlier this week, that real joy, the unshakeable, indescribable kind, comes only from God. For me it has been and will continue to be an ongoing process, and it consumes more and more of my heart and life, as I look less and less to this world to fill the longings and desires of my heart, and instead seek God and ask Him to give me joy in every aspect of my life.
I don't think happiness and joy are absolutely exclusive of each other. But if I could have only one in my life- I'd choose Joy.