A dear friend is visiting me for Thanksgiving. As usual we are having a great time shopping, eating and visiting. In one of our many conversations the topics of happiness and joy came up and how best to define each. After a bit of debate we concluded that happiness seems to frequently be related to acquiring or obtaining ‘stuff’, as in “I’d be happier if I had a new car, new outfit or maybe a new figure”. Joy on the other hand is different. Joy, for me, is an inner peace and gratefulness for all the many blessings of life; sunshine, goldfinches, zinnias. In other words, all the many things that are simply and freely given to us each and every day. What gifts are you thankful for this season?
Happiness vs Joy
