I love this time of year, beginning with Thanksgiving and running through Christmas.  It’s a season filled with Joy, especially if you create and seek out the experiences that will make it so.

Planning and foresight are gifts that can make the rest of the year successful, but in this Holiday Season I’ve found the secret to experiencing Joy depends more on living “in the moment”. That ability in itself can be a tremendous gift, since it frees our minds from the usual burdens.

To illustrate what Pure Joy looks like, and how it acts, I’d like to introduce you to Rhys, my 10 month old Welsh Springer Spaniel. His name, literally translated from Old Welsh, means “Enthusiasm”; Joy is what happens when Enthusiasm expresses itself in full form.  I’m an animal lover and fan of dogs in particular; I’ve been blessed to have some fine ones as family members and companions through the years.  However, I’ve never met a dog as constantly cheerful as Rhys.  He exudes Pure Joy through his manners and actions.  Rhys is one happy fellow!

When Rhys sees me first thing in the morning, he’s joyful.  When he sees me again that same morning, he’s joyful.  When he walks with me, he’s positively exuberant. (We are still working on those leash manners!). When he greets me upon arriving home at the end of the day, or following a business trip, he whirls with excitement.  When he romps with his favorite toys, he’s positively delighted.  And so on….

The constant through all of this is Rhys’s ability to find Joy in virtually every moment.  And that positive attitude is contagious.  Granted, dogs like Rhys may not have the same worries or burdens that many of us face in our lives, or think about things in the same way, but there’s something to be gained by observing the Joy that he discovers in every moment.  It’s like he’s experiencing each wonderful thing for the very first time, each time it happens!

My wish for you is that this Holiday Season will be filled with abundant Joy.  Enjoy the Journey by finding Joy in the moment!