The Joy Within

Recently I invited one of my neighbours to a social event at my house.  She is around my age and her husband is friends with my Partner-guy.

Five days after the event she emailed her response:

No thankyou.  Take care.

I had previously perceived that this woman felt uncomfortable around me, but her email seemed to be screaming Uncomfortable!  Uncomfortable!  Uncomfortable!

So how is one to share joy with people who aren’t in a place in their own lives to receive it?  Because I’ve reached a new place in my own life–a place where I have become so comfortable in my own skin, so open to receiving and expressing joy, thankfulness and acceptance, so awake and aware of who I was born to be, that I can see that it may be a little off-putting to those who aren’t there yet.

And people don’t have to find their joy by using me as a conduit.  I am not attached to anyone else’s outcomes or choices.  I only want to offer my journey and experience to those who are seeking it and to those for whom it resonates and inspires.  It is for everyone to find joy but it is not for everyone to enjoy or respond to me and my message.  I get that.

But this ‘awakening’ to who we were each born to be is an amazing phenomenon, and I do feel compelled to share it.

My daughter Anna (8) is the question-asker in our family and she is extremely interested in the habits of animals.  She recently learned that  if the parent Blue-footed Booby does not have enough food for all of the chicks, it will only feed the biggest chick, ensuring that at least one will survive.  This was very perplexing for her.  Why wouldn’t the mother want all her babies to survive?  How does it know to do that?  What if no baby survives?

We explained to Anna that all animals (who have not been trained by humans) act on instinct, that birds and mammals and insects and fish are born knowing what to eat and how to mate and where to live and how to raise their babies.  They are aware of who they were born to be and they don’t try to be or do anything that is not right for them.  A giraffe does not look at the lion and think I should try eating gazelle for lunch and the fish does not see the eagle and think I wish I could live in a tree.

I continued my explanation to Anna like this:

We are all born knowing what is right for us and who we  were born to be.  A human baby knows what is right for him and communicates to the mother.  If the mother always meets the needs of the baby, then that baby will grow up knowing that the world is made for him to be able to trust himself and always be who he was born to be and do what he was born to do.  He will follow his instinct to do what is right for him.

But sometimes even if the mother and father do their best to take care of their baby, things happen that teach a child that the world is not a safe place or that he is wrong to want his needs met or that other people will take advantage of him or that his special gifts and talents are not valued.  Sometimes a child who is born full of joy and love and hope and trust grows up to be an adult who is scared or sad or disappointed or angry or doubting.

We always have a choice, Anna.  We can listen to our instincts, like the bird or the giraffe or the ladybug, and do the things that are right for us so that we can be our very best selves, or we can try to be like someone else or wish that we were different or forget to be thankful for how our needs are always met.  But we each know how to do what is right for us, Anna.  Even if sometimes that knowing gets pushed down inside of us and we make mistakes and do things that are not the right choice for us.  We can learn from that mistake and then remember to trust ourselves and listen to our instincts to tell us the right thing.  

You are strong, Anna.  And your instinct is strong.  You are a powerful and important person with a bright light inside of you.  You already know how to do the right thing for you and you don’t ever have to lose that.

Yeah, we talk deep like that in our house sometimes.

It’s because I don’t want my children to grow into adults who are hurt and broken and really, really stupid like I was.  The joy that is radiating in me right now is something that I want my children to experience every day of their lives so that they don’t waste as much time as I did not fulfilling my potential and ignoring who I was born to be.

Not everyone is comfortable with this kind of assertion.  They don’t know yet that we were all born to let our lights shine and live in Freedom and Joy.  They feel uncomfortable around people who are at peace with who they are and who are ridding themselves of all the negativity and constrictions of modern culture.  I get that.  I’ve been there.

But let us not think that because our joy makes some people uncomfortable that we should put the dimmer switch on or keep our talents and gifts hidden away so that no one feels jealous or insecure.  The world is only a better place when each one of us follows our true instincts and shares our joy and talents.  Hide it under a bushel? NO!  I’m gonna let it shine!

It’s not about being pushy–it’s about being authentic.  You were born for greatness.  So was I.  It is impossible that some people were born to radiate joy and love and while others were born to be shrivelled and scared.  Impossible.  You were born for greatness.  Each of your children was born for greatness.  Each of my children was born for greatness.  And the amazing thing is this:  the greatness of me and my children does not in any way diminish the greatness of you and your children!  When we ALL live in the abundance of our full potentials we make a better world for all of us and it is not a competition.

Rejoice today.  And be glad.  Be thankful for the opportunity to live your true potential today.  Let your light shine.  Do not feel diminished by the light of others.  Expand and fill yourself with joy and love and peace.

You are born for greatness.  And your time has come.

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