First of all I'm retired so this is where I need to start. I haven't had to work at a 40 hour or 40 plus job or business since around 2000 or before now.
So, my answer to all this might be different than many of you.
First of all, we have a home on one of the most beautiful sections of the California coast up nearer to San Francisco. So, I can drive one miles and be walking along the ocean on a beach any day of the year now (that I'm here) that I want to. This brings me joy to see our Corgi wriggle like a worm on her back in the sand or on the seaweed on the shore or digging holes in the sand as we walk along the beach. I kick off my crocs if it is warm enough and go barefoot on the sand to increase my pleasure too because I'm from Southern California until I was about 26 years old and was a surfer and Scuba diver and snorkler and body surfer and boogie boarder always as far back as maybe age 6 years old in the ocean (body surfing with an inflatable mat in the 1950s. I learned in the 1950s on those inflatable canvas mats that you should wear a t-shirt though because your chest could get raw then from the canvas riding in on the waves bumping along towards the shore.
So, barefoot on a beach one mile from my home is a real joy and pleasure for me almost every day I'm here where our main home is. IF it's raining I just wear a rubber jacket and take our dog anyway because she needs the exercise.
The second thing that brings me joy is to hang out in our hot tub outside and blog. Most of the time my wife and adult daughter are inside now so this gives me plenty of time outside with the trees and the sun (if it's sunny) which it is today (about 70 degrees) which is great.
The other thing I like to do but don't feel safe doing because i'm in my 70s now is to go to Mt. Shasta and go skiing. I don't feel safe enough (for a good place to stay) because Omicron is just so incredibly contagious that it can go down a hotel hallway and under your door and get you now days. So, for now at least I'm listening to my angels until Omicron passes in California (which is going to be a whole lot later than places like New York) because it didn't get here very fast to begin with.
The other thing I miss a lot doing is going to the Hawaiian Islands. I used to live on the big island in 1974 and I lived on Maui in 1989 and 1990 too. So, I miss going there a lot but don't feel it's safe for someone my age to fly at all now. And the same problem with the hotels in Hawaii as on the mainland too.
The other thing that brings me joy is sort of hibernating more like a bear during the winters. In other words I tend to sleep late and get up when my body wants to since I'm retired. This gives me a lot of time with God while I'm asleep with the Angels and God. And this brings me great great Joy to be with God in this way too.
We each have to find ways to bring us joy or we won't be alive out the other side of all of this.
What are you doing to bring joy into your life?
By God's Grace
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