One of my daily tasks is to enjoy some tummy time on my massage table. It is supposed to relax the hip flexors and it has been a daily way to get my Zen on for more than a year. I turn on my Spotify music, light my incense and relax. The first time that I enjoyed my tummy time this week was a bit of a trek. First of all, the room is on the other side of my house which meant getting out of bed, crutching to the other side, maneuvering myself so I was flat on my tummy and getting my cold feet covered with a blanket. By the time, I got comfy, I was a bit tired and grumpy. I certainly do not like expending that amount of energy to find a Zen moment!
I closed my eyes! I listened. I breathed. Thirty minutes later, I opened my eyes and saw this:
Yes, I know, it says, Joy, but it really said “Uenjoy” which was the manufacturer of the table. But the perspective that I saw was the simple, unadulterated word, ‘joy’. Do you know what is totally amazing? I actually felt joy as I read it also. Hmmm. Hip surgery = joy? Not so sure about that. The joy was coming from a different part of my body. The part that thinks, rationalizes, appreciates.
There is a joy in being cared for as I watch my husband patiently put socks on my cold feet. There is joy in the warm water of the shower washing away all my worries. There is the joy of being able to remain calm. There is the joy of having a sense of humor. Certainly, there is joy in finding the last row of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies that I had forgotten about. There is the joy of being listened to and validated. There is the joy of moving forward. There is the joy of having the privilege of you sharing with me your stories, your joy and, even your struggles.
So from one perspective, I can see a manufacturer’s name on my massage table. Simple, matter of fact, no emotion. The other perspective allows me to see and feel the word, joy. I see a word that brings hope, relief, calmness. Go out and find the perspective that speaks to your hope! Find it, embrace it and grow from it.