What Brings Joy

My vivid memories as a child are the summers leading into Fall. I remember the hot nights, while catching lightning bugs, the walks with my father to the corner store for ice cream, and listening to the thunderstorms roll in while I watched from our back porch. But what really brought me joy was the cool air of autumn approaching. I also loved the beautiful colored leaves, my Uncle Sam’s pumpkin field, and the joyful anticipation of Halloween. Through the years, many of the simple things still bring me joy. When I am invited to give messages from spirit at a message circle, I am fortunate to be brought back to the little joys of life. Spirit allows me to see the family gatherings of the past and feel the love while sharing the simple pleasures. Pleasures such as grandpa sitting on the porch enjoying his cigar, and grandma telling her favorite stories. I feel the emotion in a beautiful message from a spouse sharing his memory of the day he first fell in love. As I bring you back to the remembrance of the simplicity of life, it is important to hold on to that feeling of love. Our world is going through a difficult time and the negative energy is overwhelming. I do not doubt that the light will shine through this darkness, but it will take time. You can live your best life even through these times. We are on this earth for a relatively short time. While you are here, there will always be lessons to learn. What makes life worth living is to allow yourself to experience joy. I have a beautiful maple tree in my backyard. I have created a native woodland garden and hung a comfy swing. Each night, I sit there feeling the same joy I felt as a child. As I sit in my yard, I watch my plants gradually turn to autumn colors, and I allow myself to find gratitude in these simple pleasures and I realize these things still bring me joy.