Joy

When is the last time that you experienced pure joy?  Joy for the sake of nothing but absolute joy.  Not because you got a great gift, or because something out of this world occurred.  Joy.  Just because.  I believe its there, but that we often look passed it because it is mundane.

This is Lily, my last boxer.  Lily had a great life, but she was a bit temperamental and pouty.  She didn’t like being left alone in the house, and often expressed her displeasure in destructive ways.  Eventually, it became pouting.  She wouldn’t make eye contact with me when I came home.  She would sulk away, get on the bed and ignore me.  I found a simple cure, take her for a ride in the car.  Lily loved going for a ride.  Sometimes, when in a bind, I would put her in the car and simply drive around my complex.  Other times, like this time we went for a longer ride, to capture a sunrise.  Lily was essentially already in hospice, and didn’t like taking her medication.  This was our holy, happy ride into the sunrise, sharing a yogurt and peace.  It didn’t cost us anything but the time we took together.

It was joy.