Joy of Life
When you stop to think about it, there really isn't any life if there is no spark, no spirit, no
enthusiasm, or no defining focus. It is very much like a person who has been in a terrible accident
and winds up in a coma. The modern machines that we have today are capable of keeping the person
"alive", albeit artificially, but is that person really alive? The machines can keep the person's
bodily functions working, heart pumping, lungs processing air, and all other systems working that
any normal person would have. But, most people would agree that the unfortunate person in the coma
is not experiencing the joy of life.
There are many people who are not in comas that appear to be functioning normally, but they too
are not experiencing the joy of life. These people lack purpose, they lack passion, and they are
not happy. We can see that a joy of life is a real, almost tangible entity. Without this entity,
life is a lackluster affair. To elucidate, a person must possess, or have command of, or at least
appreciate the concepts of passion, happiness, goals, dreams, and spirit. A person bereft of such
attributes is a lifeless mammal that we might expect to see in a herd rather than living next door
to us.
On Passion
Passion is an intense interest or excitement in something. A person who possesses a passion for
art may work at his art at the expense of everything else in life; we would say, "Art is his passion".
Hobbies are a good outlet because we are free to pursue our passion without boundaries; there are no
quotas to fill or bosses to please; we go as far as our interest may take us. We can imagine the
Wright brothers having a passion for flying, or great athletes having a passion for winning. Take away
passion from our interests and no one stands out; everyone shrinks back into a gelatinous mass of
lifeless organisms. In day-to-day living a passionless person just exists, he does not live. Another
way to look at passion is to see that we need purpose in our lives; that what we do matters in the
grand scheme of things. Why work at something if the world does not seek to reward us with accolades
for our efforts? It is easy to see that accolades from intelligent others can affirm our purpose and
fan the flame of our passion. The famous mountain climber may gain the summit whether anyone else
knows about it or not; she may have a passion for climbing mountains. Imagine this same person
pursuing their hobby and having the world recognize, and be inspired by, her efforts. Her accomplishments
are strengthened due to the addition of the accolades of intelligent others thus spurring her on to
even greater achievements. Even better is the realization that some of these supporters may be inspired
to accomplish feats of their own; some folks need a spark to set them on to their paths in life.
The Addition of Dreams
What we need to enliven our passions are dreams. First you must have an idea of doing something,
like crossing an ocean in a small boat, for example. Then we need a goal. The goal might be to first
learn all about sailing and boats, then to practice, then to set a date for departure. There are three
goals and maybe more depending upon what you need to learn for the journey. Each of these goals builds
upon the others to prepare you for the ultimate goal of crossing the ocean. We now have a dream, then
goals to accomplish to make that dream a reality, and then we must be passionate about, not only the
dream, but also each of the other elements. Each endeavor must be fueled with passion. Most projects
in life, from combing your hair to building a space shuttle, require numerous steps in the accomplishment
of the overall goal. Each element, no matter how small, requires passion so that all the elements become
exciting to you. The finished project then becomes synergetic. If all these elements are present, then
you will have the energy and interest to pursue the overall goal. If any of these parts are missing then
you have wasted effort, an unfinished project, and a very confused, disappointed and unhappy person.
Happiness
Happiness is important in seeking a joyful life. Most people, however, do not understand how to be
happy, or for that matter, what comprises happiness. Simply, happiness is being satisfied (and maybe
even excited) about that which you already possess. If you can say this about yourself, then you are a
"happy camper" and you probably look upon life as an exciting affair. This does not mean that you do not
seek further improvement in life but rather that you view life in a positive way. Things and people matter
to you and so you continue to seek to make things better or more exciting. Happiness breeds more happiness.
It is like smooth pavement on the highway; it makes your journey that much easier to travel. Notice that
happiness is only one element in achieving joy in life; it is not an end unto itself. How many times have
we labored to "be happy" as the end product? Why stop at being happy? There is so much more to life.
The Spirit of Life
Another ingredient that is essential for developing joy in life is spirit. Like happiness, most people
do not understand this term. Most folks think that spirit refers to God; it does not. Spirit is the
enthusiastic feeling that we possess and demonstrate when we stand up for something. We show "team spirit"
when we cheer on our favorite team. We have spirit when we enthusiastically support the company that
employs us. When we are proud to be a member of a cause we are showing spirit. It is also that part of our
attitude that we aim towards our endeavors in life. We can liken a spark plug in an internal combustion
engine to spirit in a human personality. No spark plug, the engine will not operate; no spirit, the human
is reduced to a useless mammal.
It is easy to see that all of the above elements overlap. They also work together. They all contribute
to joy in life. When we can dream freely, make realistic goals, adopt a happy attitude, nurture our spirit,
find satisfying purpose, and conjure up a healthy passion for all things, we are probably experiencing
the joy of life.