Scatter Joy November 12, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Gratitude, Happiness.trackback
What is Joy? Where can we find it? How can we share it? Is it Peace? Harmony? An overwhelming feeling of complete and utter well-being?
In this tiny Treasury of Wisdom, the editors of The Secrets of Joy share quotes from around the globe and across the millenia to encourage us to find Joy for ourselves and share Joy with others:
Above all, share the gladness in its pages with others in your life. For joy, contagious as a smile, demands to be spread.
A few favorites from this tiny treasury:
* It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. ~ Agnes Repplier
* Happiness is a how, not a what; a talent, not an object. ~ Hermann Hesse
* What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner. ~ Colette
* May you live all the days of your life. ~ Jonathan Swift
* There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
* Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks. ~ Samuel Johnson
* Scatter Joy. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Interspersed within its 4 chapters (Seeking Happiness, Simple Pleasures, Giving Joy, The Joyful), exuberant and cheerful illustrations encourage readers to smile as they reach for their own paintboxes.
Aah . . . that’s better!
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Spirit Lights The Way 
In this day and age, a book like this should be daily reading.
I gifted this book to Julie Patchouli and Bruce Hecksel to thank them for sharing joy through their music. 😀
I keep a copy of Be Happy handy to read when I feel “grumpy.”
“What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner. ~ Colette” – this one resonated with me 🙂
Thanks for sharing these inspiring quotes.
I bumped into that quote a few years ago. It caused me to look back at the overall landscape of my life . . . and smile.
None of the divots and potholes remained evident.
This sounds a wonderful book, Nancy.CS Lewis says joy is a stab of longing: I’m more for the quiet realisation that something is beautiful.
Same here. For me, joy is when an overwhelming sense of peace and well-being causes me to smile for no reason at all.
Those moments that take our breath away.
Over these past two weeks, with the hurricane and nor’easter here on Long Island, N.Y. there has been a major disaster for people living along the south shore. For the rest of us, who weren’t flooded, there have been severe power shortages, and many serious problems. However, for many of us, some good things have also come out of it.
Thursday before last, when my electricity had been off since Monday, a guy from my Church showed up at my door at 4:30 PM. He and his wife invited me to their place for dinner. We had ravioli, and it was the first hot meal I’d had since that Monday; also in a warm place with the lights on. That was truely something to be joyful about.
They invited me for the follow evening, when his mother-in-law cooked the meal. We had an appetizer of shrimp cocktail. The meal consisted of meat loaf, with broccoli, string beans, baked potatoes and yams, with a dessert of cake and ice cream. That is one meal I will always remember. Those two evenings were truly a blessing. When my host drove me home, my lights were on, along with the lights of everyone in the neighborhood. Another good reason to be truly joyful.
However, my lights didn’t stay on. They went off twice. I spent last Thursday and Friday nights in the dark, keeping warm under the covers, afraid to get up because it was so cold. This was something primeval; like I’d returned to the caves. Then the lights and heat came back on again, just before noon on Saturday; and this time they will be staying on.
Civilization has returned! Another true reason for all of us to be joyful!
Being in the dark is bad enough . . . being cold makes it harder.
Glad your lights are back on and that you had invitations for a hot meal not once but twice.
Thank you Nancy. We don’t realize just how much we take for granted.
Exactly. The best thing about losing power is the relief and gratitude we feel when it comes back on.
William Being from New York, I was stunned to hear how Sandy created such havoc in my former State. Weather patterns have changed. It warmed my heart to read of kindness extended to you in the midst of the cold and darkness.
There is a tremendous amount of generosity being shown by Long Islanders, to those who’ve lost everything in our neighboring communities. This past Sunday, large bundles of clothing were piled high in my Church’s foyer. A member was bringing his pickup truck to pack them in, and drive them to one of the devastated areas, which is less than an hour’s drive from us. Things like this are going on all over the place. Much of it is being done by private citizens, and charitable organizations; who aren’t wating for whenever some Government Agency finally shows up.
Among the volunteers is the group Occupy Wall Street. They’ve actually come to help, not to waste time protesting. For the first time, they’re actually meeting the 99%, who they claim they represent. Maybe they’ll actually learn something.
Getting this book is on my to do list Nancy!
Hurry . . . there are only 4 copies “in stock” on Amazon. 😉
Oh, Nancy….the cover of that book is just perfect!…it exudes joy! (and yes, I see there are only 4 copies left on amazon!)
Isn’t it gorgeous . . . a winking twinkling sun! I better put on my shades. 😎
[r] …ummm…. I think that’s a smiley face?? (bracket r bracket???….I’ll be filled with “joy” if it is!)
awww..didn’t work! How did you do that?
: cool : without the spaces . . . 😎
😎 ???….. 😀
By George, I think she’s got it! 😀
[r]?
?
Awright – I’m not getting it yet, Nancy – what did you type to get the “shades” guy?
: cool : 😎
: roll : 🙄
: idea : 💡
: shock : 😯
But you must leave out the spaces. 😎
Take 14:
💡
Yay!!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!
colon – word – colon!
WooHoo! and Happy Dance!
One more . . . : razz : 😛
and another voice chimes back in from the western sky….. 🙄 😎 💡 😯 😛 woooooo…..!
You’re all set now. 💡
Just reading this put me in a nice frame of mind. I would order the book but have so many books that I have not yet finished, so will put it in my wish list. I assume the authors will order more books from their publisher in the future. 😎
Glad you enjoyed this brief intro, Marie. I’m the same, so many books waiting around to be read that I think long and hard before buying another. 🙂
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This beautiful book cover caught my eye, and the post has caught my heart ~ Thanks, Nancy!
Thanks, Karen. Glad you enjoyed . . . and shared. 😀
I’ve read the quote “Scatter Joy” but didn’t recall it was Emerson. I really like the image of just leaving bit of joy in every corner and allowing the remnant to be a trace of who we are! The more grumbling and complaining I hear in a day, the more aware I am of the personal responsibility to be joyful. I love this post…but I always do! 🙂
Oh, good! When I’m feeling happy, I try to spread joy in every direction. When I’m feeling like a crabapple sourpuss, I try to keep my thoughts to myself . . . unless I feel that someone can offer up a realistic solution I should consider.
I try not to grip, vent, whine, grumble, complain, or moan just to spread un-joy to others.
“…I try not to …spread *un-joy* to others.”
~ What a nifty way to think of ‘negativity’! Tickles, and so is NOT un-joy, itself! 😎 🙂
Thanks, Karen! Here’s to keeping grumbles and gripes out of sight . . . while scattering joy about. 😀
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