The Joy Continuum


Now

At any given time, there’s a lot going on. We interact with people, get work done, move through the world, take note of things.

We have thousands of micro-experiences throughout each day.

The Joy Moment

There’s a moment when we actually appreciate a given experience. This doesn’t always happen at the same time as the actual experience. Sometimes we only truly enjoy an experience once it’s become a distant memory.

We’re often so preoccupied with stresses of the day – feeding hungry mouths, making plans, talking to people, virtually and in person – that we don’t have time or presence to enjoy the moment in the moment.

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That’s why nostalgic parents of older children say things like, “They grow up so fast, enjoy every moment.” Raising kids can be completely overwhelming in the moment, but looking back we cherish each stage of their lives.

That’s why we look back on travel photos saying, “Wow, we were there“. When we took the picture we were tired, hungry, and rushing to catch a bus, but years later we realize what a gift we were given at the time.

Time

Some experiences can’t be appreciated except through the lens of time. Sometimes we don’t have a full understanding of a moment till we’re looking back with the perspective of hindsight.

And honestly, sometimes life just sucks.

Sometimes we can’t look back at entire years of our lives without all the pain and hurt of that season coming back to the surface.

Often, though, we let petty disturbances distract us from the reality of the moment, and keep us fully enjoying an experience.

What if we could shorten that time between the experience and the enjoyment of the experience? What if could fold time over on itself and actually experience a moment in joy?

In Joy

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I imagine, as with the bending of time (though I’ve never messed with time myself), that folding over the Joy Continuum would cause far-reaching ripples that would change reality.

I imagine our reactions, responses, and even the future would change if we were fully enjoying each moment as were experiencing it.

Bending the Continuum

I don’t think I’ve tried this very often, because bending the Joy Continuum is incredibly difficult. There’s so much going on in any given moment, it’s hard to see and understand the moment fully.

But what if we tried? What if we tried bending time, and tried to experience all those precious moments in joy?

I imagine we could give it a try. Who knows, maybe we could even cause some ripples in reality.