What brings you joy?

Walking the trail overlooking the Santa Cruz Harbor with my wife and dogs, writing on my computer late at night, sitting at the dining room table with my family, pedaling my bike up a dusty dirt fire trail, quietly and efficiently doing my part of a larger picture; just to name a few. 

In June of 1996, 3 months into sobriety, I was out of work, owed mortgage on 2 homes, and the state board of pharmacy was in the process of taking legal action against my pharmacist license.

Personally, as a husband, and as a family we were working through this colossal state of affairs.

That particular afternoon, I found myself walking the two mile trek home from a recent doctor's appointment. As if the sun came into my heart and opened my eyes, I felt a calm come over me like never before.

At that moment in time, I experienced an epiphany, realizing our family is richer than it has ever been.

Through truth, honesty and love we had been set free to experience joy.

Joy is fleeting, yet surrounding us all the time. When we are in a hurry, the ephemeral nature of joy passes us by.

When we are still and listen, joy will slowly and evenly approach us and rest quietly on our shoulder like a monarch butterfly stopping by to say hello.

#joy #worklifebalance #balance