“What brings you joy?”

That’s what she asked.

An interesting, relevant question.

Looking for the cause behind the effect, like we’re so used to doing.

And if you find out, you can have more, cause more, and create more.

Hooray!

But…

There’s something else at play, way beyond A plus B means C.

We’re overlooking something that is very relevant.

Because it seems to me that joy is nothing but the direct experience of aliveness.

It’s life itself, without the burden of the mind.

It’s life itself, bubbling, energizing, like light roaring through your body, or a fresh, natural high.

It’s what is and always has been, if we’re not looking for improvement or trying to get someplace else.

It’s always there, in the background, part of us, IN us, but we’re like oranges believing to be nothing but peel.

Joy is the juice.

We are made of juice.

I know that’s hard to believe.

I know you’re exquisitely trained to look for causes and reasons and solutions and answers and ways to make things happen.

I know you’ve bought into the idea that certain things and circumstances bring you joy, so you absolutely need them to experience it.

It’s not how it really works, though.

The most joyful human creatures in the world are children, and they don’t need anything to make that happen.

They just are.

Life IS joy.

So, there’s the answer to the question:

Life brings joy.

You are the juice.

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(Photo by @tangerinenewt, for Unsplash