It’s 10:44 PM and I’m stuck. I have a great idea for a blog, but it’s more than 15 minutes of writing, which I guess is a good thing, but yet, I have 15 minutes to get this under deadline!

So, I do what any good writing does: start looking at what other writers have been writing about in their blogs!

#loser

Hush, it’s fine! However, I found this from Jennifer at wahooliteracyteacher, and today she wrote about things that made her joyful in 2020. Well, I don’t think I can come up with a great list like she did, but I’ll give you my 5 things that gave me joy so far:

  1. Seeing my oldest daughter as a college graduate. G took the last test of her college career last Wednesday, and on Saturday we got to “see” her virtual graduation. She’s a college graduate with a degree in software engineering and a job at John Deere (making more money than I am as a 22-year-old, but I digress). Seeing that kind of success is a joyful experience and she’s ready to go where ever the wind takes her.
  2. My youngest daughter is in a relationship with a boy (yes, as the father, I can call him this) who cares about her and is there for her in a non-destructive way. My daughter had a type: buff, full of themselves, with a pinch of dumbass. Not a good combination and she’s been burned too many times. This boy is a nerd, playing Call of Duty until all hours of the night, spending more time on his hair than she does, but he’s uber-smart and loves F. They are happy, and that brings me joy.
  3. Through all the upheaval of 2020, I’ve found who my friends truly are. I don’t make many friends. Apparently, being an introvert has me labeled as “standoff-ish” and “rude” which is fine. But watching as people posted various idiotic things on their social media, it became clear pretty quick who and where those people were that were friends. It’s been sad to watch some people I’d respected do some very dumb things, but it puts a lot of what I believe personally into perspective. I’m joyful for those people I can call friends and move forward.
  4. A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I went out for lunch, eating at a Mexican place in a nearby town. It was amazing. So much of my life is about food because my wife is an amazing cook. My daughters and I openly admit to being spoiled from eating restaurant food (fettuccine alfredo in particular) because my wife simply makes it better. Eating authentic Mexican food is always a treat and this was no exception. The best part, the day was warm and the company of excellent. Good food, good conversation = joy! 🙂
  5. Finally, you, my readers, give me joy. I make fun of myself, but I know there are a bunch of people who follow this blog and that makes me joyfully every time I sit down to write. It’s amazing to know that people actually read this, comment on it, and approach me at school to tell me about how they loved what I wrote, There’s a joy there that just cannot be explained.

So, in closing, a TikTok creator I watch (yes, I LOVE that format right now) always talks about how you need to “find your joy.” In the midst of 2020, I think I’ve done well. 🙂

What about you? Where does your joy come from? I’d love for you to share with us!