What does true joy truly feel and look like? For me, there is a lightness in my steps and over all movements. I am not aware of any physical ailments, or discomforts. My shoulders are relaxed and my skin glows. When I think about it, these physical descriptions make sense.

When my world is upside down my steps are heavy, sometimes a slight drag of my right foot, my shoulders are tense and my skin is filled with acne. Everything hurts all the time to the point where it becomes a regular feeling. It is not until I am in the midst of joy that I become aware of the void of pain. Slowly, but surely my skin clears up and one would never know the surface of my skin was filled with hyper and hypo pigmentation .

I love being in a place of joy. I try to always stop during my quiet moments (in the shower, driving during the early morning or while I lay awake in the wee hours of the space in time between night and morning) to talk to God. It is here that I reflect upon when I did not feel that well. It’s always important for me to reflect upon the moment I am in and the moment I am coming from. This allows me to keep my priorities straight and seek out gratefulness. I live by the beauty in falling down and getting back up.

The failures, the set-backs, the challenges all help to shape and define who I am as I enter a new chapter in my life. As I sit here still reeling from the fact that I am forty years old, I thank God above for all the lessons I have learned thus far. I must say I am curious about where I will be in another forty years! What lessons in life await me?

What about your dear reader? What does joy look and feel like for you? Blessings.