About a month ago I was using our social worker’s office as
a hallway, cutting through her office to get to the copy room – and I was
stopped dead in my tracks. There on her desk was a book that seemed out of
place. I expect to see picture books or books about the latest writing strategy
in my work environment. This is not what lay there inviting my soul to pause at
such an unlikely time. The title of the book – reduced to joy by Mark Nepo.
Reduced to joy?
My mind knew instantly
that these words were not meant for each other.
And yet, my heart recognized
them as truth.
Reduced means to make smaller or to bring someone to a
lesser state. However, the definition of joy is to feel great pleasure and
happiness.
How can one be brought to a lesser state of great pleasure?
Does
Webster’s Dictionary really know what joy means?
Maybe joy is more than
happiness.
I love this word joy
and since I have a few days off, I am going to explore and reflect on this
word. Where have I experienced joy? What has it looked like in my life?
...the thought of taking time to pause fills me with delight...or possibly even joy.
