Recently, at the gentle urging (or perhaps mere suggestion) of someone whom I trust implicitly, I began to listen daily to the opening twelve minutes of Steve Harvey’s eponymous radio show. Mr. Harvey has devoted these twelve minutes to often spiritual, always practical, rarely ineffective messages about life, living, and spirituality. One morning, as I prepared for the day ahead, Mr. Harvey’s musings on the topic of what I’ve coined “Fun vs. Joy” held my attention with the intensity of a snake charmer. There I was, in the perfect little haven of my bathroom applying makeup, commenting back to Mr. Harvey (did he hear me?), running to jot down a note or two, and getting back to the task at hand all while watching the clock.

Mr. Harvey stated that fun is an object that we often go about searching and looking for. The quest to find fun often causes us to spend money that we perhaps don’t have to spend because, while we cannot afford it, we feel that we deserve the fun (and ultimate happiness) that the money will surely purchase us (or will it?). Conversely, joy is a feeling, an emotion that resides within us--for free. Mr. Harvey stated that, in order to experience joy, he could be sitting at home with his wife doing something as simple as chatting or enjoying a glass of wine or a cup of coffee while perfectly ensconced in one another’s company. He went on to say that in terms of the pursuit of happiness, goals, and the like, maintenance is more difficult than acquisition (it was at this point that I ran for a pencil, a pen, the eyeliner I was applying—anything to get that message down). I took this to mean that maintaining, pruning, and tending-to such matters are far more difficult than obtaining a quick fix. In other words, fun is fleeting but joy can sustain you infinitely. Let’s look at it from another angle. How difficult is it to sustain weight loss? How trying is it to remain successful once you’ve reached a goal? How tough is it to uphold the magic of a relationship as the newness fades?

Those twelve minutes have generated countless inner thoughts for me. Those twelve minutes have simultaneously caused me to examine my own definition of fun and allowed me to more fully realize the great gift that is joy. I’ve decided to nurture and look after my joy just as I do those I hold most dear. They deserve my time and attention but so does my joy. My joy is mine to cherish and shame on me should I let anyone, anyone, take it.

A few things to ponder in closing: Have you experienced joy lately or have you simply been having fun? What brings you joy, truly, or have you allowed yourself the time to even begin to find out? There’s no time like the present.

And, finally, in the words of writer Ann Lamott, "JOY is the best makeup."  I'll be back in the mirror, with The Steve Harvey Morning Show in the background, applying a liberal amount first thing in the morning.

Until next time…
~NDJ