Expanding the boundaries of joy, frontiers are where you find them

(Listening to Frontiers Are Where You Find Them by Trevor Kowalski while writing this)

Coming out of the pandemic, I feel the life in me is also slowly recovering this year.

Having subscribed to multiple bloggers, including those who write about their physical training, dating, solo traveling, etc, I’m starting to realize deeply that the joy life offers, has no boundaries. If you have an open heart, not just an open mind, to explore it, and see what it has to offer.

Joy is plentiful. It can happen in big and bold ways, such as for the first time traveling to another country in 7 years, and noticing all the similarities and subtle differences between these two countries. It can also happen in small and simple ways, as simple as a cup of matcha in your warm hands, the smell of coffee in the kitchen in the morning light, the leafless branches of trees gently rocking in the wind. One must learn to take in the small beauties and small pleasures in life otherwise they will suffer more than necessary. The first part I said it, the last part the Stoics said it.

I’ve also diligently worked through dogmas that have existed for so long I’ve internalized them. The feeling of shame, the feeling of “oh I was so stupid to do that, how could I not know better”? The truth is, we all live life for only once, there are plenty of firsts we experience, on a daily basis. How could you possibly have known better, when it’s your first time doing some thing?

The feeling of focusing on the negatives. Yes, there is something about the human brain that reacts to negatives 3 times more strongly than reacting to positives, I know. But come to think of it, I’m a pretty lucky gal.

I love the buddhist concept of impermanence. It’s true, you never know what the next moment will bring you. All you can do is to enjoy this moment as is, knowing it will never happen again.

That is not to say to not plan, just saying to enjoy the process and not just the result, because life is the process.

Joy as well as suffering are both bottomless, the boundaries are only where you find them, but they will always expand, like an ocean with no shore in sight. I’ve always known this about suffering, only recently I’ve started to notice this about joy as well.

I’m sitting here in my well-lit study, a beautiful bookshelf in my background, turning my thoughts into words, listening to music that soothes my soul, hoping my words will also sound like music, with a tune to it.

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Oh oh my darling, can’t you see? Life is bountiful and joyous! Even your sorrows will one day become a beautiful tune! You who are looking but not seeing!

I know I will never reach the end of such frontiers, but with every inch I make, I take great pleasure!

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My experience has been, there is plenty of room in the human heart for joy! The thing is, one gotta make room for it. The process of making room in one’s heart is not so easy or joyous, a lot of old resentments, shame and doubt will come to light. But you gotta do it, see them, console them, and invite them out of your heart. just like you gotta clean your own room from time to time and invite the dust out!