Experience Those Joy Moments Right Around the Corner

The following truth hit me hard today. Sometimes joy is waiting, she wants us to endure the dark clouds and rain, and then, she appears, right around the corner, ready to fill our hearts with this unexpected joy, the kind of joy you don’t forget.

This truth, struck me right at this place

It’s a swimming pool. with beautiful water on a hot summer’s day, but looming not too far away was that big, dark cloud. As a blogger, I observe people. I watched as the cloud got darker and people scrambled as if it was already upon us. But it wasn’t. It was still calm, and children pleaded with their parents, “but it’s not storming yet? ”

With in a matter of 10 minutes the pool was cleared out of all people, but still no rain and no storm, just dark clouds. And I remained with my 10 yr old son and his friend. My son questioned me and giggled, “mama, we are the only ones left.” I replied, “I know, you should have fun.”  They looked at each other and immediately did a big splash that 10 year olds are famous for-lol. And I smiled, because that was pure joy on their faces.

Here is the thing I have found to be true in life. Sometimes, that last song at the concert, when others are hurrying to “not hit traffic”, or that last inning of the baseball game, that some might want to skip, or maybe that last moment of the evening sky, others might dismiss the final moments when the sun is slipping beneath the horizon. These are all “joy around the corner moments.” Because that last song might just be the best song of the night,  that one song that tugs at your heart, the last inning might bring a big come back from the losing team, the sunset, right at that moment when it dips down into the horizon, might bring you to tears because of its beauty.

We make things so hard, we look for joy in these big moments and we leave with disappointment. All the while joy whispers “stay.” “Stay and wait for this joy moment” its right around this next corner.

Today was my “stay and wait joy moment.” To be honest, I did hesitate when all others left. But I told myself, “what do I have to lose?” Risk in waiting for that joy moment is worth it when she comes. I have had so many of these unexpected joy moments in the last year, that I don’t understand why I still do hesitate.

But today watching two ten year old boys have the time of their life, with the pool all to themselves, was a moment I’ll never forget. They were amazed that I had stayed despite the pending storm. I want that more. I want to go against reason sometimes and experience those unexpected “joy around the corner moments.”