Have had this conversation with myself and others for years. It never made sense that one could be happy all the time..and be real. If someone is happy all the time, I would imagine that state of denial they are living in comes with a zip code of CRAZY. Nor is it helpful to others to always be happy. Happy is an instantaneous, short lived state - almost anything can make happy go away as fast as it came.
Joy, on the other hand, seems more respectable, more balanced and more desired. To me, joy is a deep down reaction that stays no matter what the conditions. It doesn't mean you have a perpetual smile on your face or a unrealistic view of your life but that you know, it will be ok. Not unlike understanding that life is not fair. Once you wrap your head around that good and tight, there is more joy than happiness in your life.
Imagine my surprise when I looked up the definition of joy and happy and they found that referenced each other. NO, NO - my brain said.
Joy (joi) a feeling or state of great happiness.
and
Happy (hap'e) delighted, joyful over a particular thing.
Close but no enchilada. Even though they appear to have the same literal DNA, the difference while subtle, is profound. When one is feeling happy whne the thing is gone - the happy is gone. Short term, easily gone and if used correctly is a wonderful thing. There are times when happy is exactly what we need. Just like there are times we NEED Hostess Cup Cakes...but you wouldn't want a steady diet of them, for so many reasons.
Joy is great place to keep all your happiness. Joy loves to share the good times - no one likes a great party better than joy but at the end of the day, joy understands the Bigger Picture. Joy will sustain you, will continue to nourish you and is in it for the long haul. Me too. I am in it for the long haul.
Moment by Moment
Day by Day
For the Long Haul...
