Joy has many nuances. There is the joy of standing and looking out on the land, seeing the greenery of nature, the blue of the sky, of feeling the sun on one’s skin, the breeze on one’s face. There is the joy of being safe at last, of going on vacation, of having a future, and of success. If that’s not enough, let’s not forget the joy of possessing, of companionship, and of having a friend.

Joy has a million faces. It is all around us, yet how many times do we experience it in a day, a year, or a lifetime?

The word derives from Anglo-French, joie, from Latin, gaudia, and further back to Ancient Greek, gethein, to rejoice.

Joy has been around as long as we have been sentient, and yet it seems elusive. We wait to experience it, and that may be our error. In its essence, joy is an action. It is to be glad. In ancient times, that meant having a cheerful disposition and shining.

I think shining is the key. How do we shine? We brighten up. We lighten up. We glow with our own being. Our light radiates out into the world, and joy is reflected back. Don’t believe me? Try it and tell me if I’m wrong.