"Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy." -2nd Nephi 2:25
I have never been very fond of New Years. While other people find it an amazing time to make resolutions and jump into diets, I see it as the stagnant middle. The dead center of January, winter full blown, and a time when sunlight is lacking. It was always such a let down to drag myself away from the beauty of Christmas and welcome another month without the joy of the holidays. I never liked it. But, one thing I do love, is the simple act of writing the month. I love reaching the end of 12 and writing 1 again. This simple act reminds me everything has a beginning. I live my life week to week, but every once in a while, it is a marvelous thing to step back and see the large year, in circles, fold back to its beginning.
One way I embrace change each January, is to set a "theme" for the year. Now, do not confuse this with a resolution. My theme is an idea to keep in the back of my mind from month to month. Maybe I will write a simple list of things to look forward to in the year... but regardless, the theme provides focus and direction.
Last year was the "Year of Kate." Maybe this sounds a bit too broad. In January, of last year I was getting ancy about my age. The birthday I had approaching in June was not one I was looking forward to. So, I felt like it was time to make the year, MY year. I didn't know how, but I was going to do something to make 2007 stand out from the rest. My 2006 was a hard one, so, in the year of Kate, I was going to take as many risks as possible. This would be my year.
How did it turn out you might ask? Well, it was one of the most difficult and wonderful years of my life. I will discuss this further in another blog... but I would like to address this year's theme.
I have never been very fond of New Years. While other people find it an amazing time to make resolutions and jump into diets, I see it as the stagnant middle. The dead center of January, winter full blown, and a time when sunlight is lacking. It was always such a let down to drag myself away from the beauty of Christmas and welcome another month without the joy of the holidays. I never liked it. But, one thing I do love, is the simple act of writing the month. I love reaching the end of 12 and writing 1 again. This simple act reminds me everything has a beginning. I live my life week to week, but every once in a while, it is a marvelous thing to step back and see the large year, in circles, fold back to its beginning.
One way I embrace change each January, is to set a "theme" for the year. Now, do not confuse this with a resolution. My theme is an idea to keep in the back of my mind from month to month. Maybe I will write a simple list of things to look forward to in the year... but regardless, the theme provides focus and direction.
Last year was the "Year of Kate." Maybe this sounds a bit too broad. In January, of last year I was getting ancy about my age. The birthday I had approaching in June was not one I was looking forward to. So, I felt like it was time to make the year, MY year. I didn't know how, but I was going to do something to make 2007 stand out from the rest. My 2006 was a hard one, so, in the year of Kate, I was going to take as many risks as possible. This would be my year.
How did it turn out you might ask? Well, it was one of the most difficult and wonderful years of my life. I will discuss this further in another blog... but I would like to address this year's theme.
2008 is the Year of Joy.
Watching my life change and the lives of those I love change, I realized negativity (especially in myself) has become a terrible disease. It has just become easier to see life through Woody Allen glasses. It was easier to frown and expect sadness to come. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a happy person by nature. It was nothing I learned. Happiness has always come naturally, but it is possible to lose that if you look down long enough. So, I decided this year would be the year of joy.
The purpose of life..... (here it is!!!! the answer everyone wants to know...) is for men to have joy.
So, what is joy? In his book, 'Surprised By Joy' C. S. Lewis describes it as having one characteristic different from happiness and pleasure... "anyone who has experienced it, will want it again." The drive or ever-burning need for joy does not leave a person. Instead, it stays steady. And, Lewis also made the observation that "joy is almost never in our power and pleasure often is."
We can conclude then that joy is something constant, like a hunger and that it out of our power. Here is what I believe.
I believe joy is something long-lasting. But, that since it is our purpose in this life "to have joy," we are always looking for it. Like Lewis said, we hunger for it. Joy makes us stronger, while pleasure and/or happiness can be fleeting. Joy in a sense is peace and since we live in a erratic world with problems and we are flawed individuals, joy becomes our goal.
I have had moments of joy... one moment was at a concert at the Saltaire. The music was ethereal, the snow was peaceful, and I was with a loved one. Another moment was when I walked gardens by myself, the first day in June. I have also known joy in long conversations with family and those as close to me as my family. I had never been able to name the feeling I got after I wrote, or sang. These were the intangibles. But, I now know, these moments are joy. The more I have them, the more I want to make myself worthy for more of them.
And, this year will be the year of joy. I know better then to expect the year to go smoothly without any bumps, but I also know I only have power to recognize joy when it comes. These are the moments we live for and this is the year I will be aware and prepared.
3 comments:
I like your idea of having a theme for the new year. I don't know what mine would be - humility, obedience and awareness of small things that make life shimmer all come to mind - but to put a theme out there that will reside in the ether of our thoughts, hopefully prodding and encouraging all our actions, is one that could have untold benefits.
Joy - what a great concept. While I do believe that it is important to recognize the moments of miraculous joy in our lives, I also believe that joy can be found through the trials and mistakes we make - in that there is joy in recognizing a fault and working to repair it or seeing how we can (joyfully) learn from the mistakes we make. Just a thought for when the road is bumpy and full of potholes.
Good to see you blogging again, Katie. I always enjoy your perspectives. Keep it up.
what a great post, and i love the pic of you and the puppies, so darling!! i still love ya, even though i never talk to or see you! :) alivia
Hey Katie, This is Brookeh from high school. I found your blog through Sarah Tate's. I just wanted to say that this post was so inspiring to me. Thank you, I needed to read it today. I loved reading your other posts. And if you want to you're welcome to check mine out, but you'll have to email me so I can send you an invite. Take care Katie.
Brookeh
brookehcall01@sbcglobal.net
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