JOy + Peace = Contentment

Cyclist’s Ramblings

Do you celebrate joy in your life?

Or do you complain, moan, groan, judge about how difficult life is?

How do you experience or even acknowledge joy?

As most of you know, I am back cycling which is a time for me to be mindful… aware of my surroundings, aware of the teachings from nature, aware of my body working on all cylinders and aware of a calmer mind. Is that joy?  Is that peace?  Is that contentment?  JOy and Peace hold hands in my life.

Joy is a cup of coffee in the morning while sitting quietly in the sunroom listening to the birds sing, watching the sun rise slowly over the houses, watching the town  come alive, chasing the black birds from the bird feeder and realizing a new day awaits me.  A day to write a new script, to be aware of my thoughts but most of all to flow with the day.  

There are so many places that I experience joy but I forget to acknowledge those moments or places.  It is a little bit like not being grateful for the abundance in my life.   

It really is very difficult to be angry, sad, lonely, heartbroken when I sit with my back to a tree and aware of my surroundings.  Try it!  It is very difficult to not embrace joy when I sail along on my bicycle on a dirt road.  Try it! I always encounter the feeling of joy when I am driving the side x side in the middle of a tree lined trail with birds sitting in the trees, dragonflies dashing here and there with a crow screeching to let me know that this is his territory while the grasses sway with the unseen breeze.  Try it!  Take a walk being aware of your surroundings instead of your thoughts.  Try it!

So often, it is easy to get caught in my idea of expectations and forget that I don't always have control over events; however, I do have control over how I experience those events.  And it is during that event, that I allow joy to float away as I look on the dark side.  Imagine, I felt joy and peace and contentment just 2 minutes ago; then, I allowed my thoughts to turn to the dark side where the ego controls because I was disappointed that life didn’t follow my plans.  So, I stand in my way of achieving peace, contentment and those joyful moments that slip into my day.

Soak up those moments of peace…..be aware of that feeling.  Honor that moment.  Let your heart and spirit sing as a grandchild gives you a hug or the gift of time to watch them perform, or someone compliments you.  Sing that song of joy.  Then contentment follows , a gift of not craving something to fill that hole in your heart.  These are spiritual moments….cherish them.

 Intention……………..I follow a path of joy, seeking out experiences that bring me that feeling of well-being. 

Now celebrate ;joy and peace more than complaining, moaning, groaning, judging life and people.