This week I have a few disjointed thoughts strung together.
“Joy, in the gospel sense, is more than happiness or pleasure, but it is certainly inclusive of both.” (p24)
What a blessing - that we can experience and enjoy both happiness and pleasure in this life. That as we seek joy we’ll have opportunities to feel and share joy.
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Many times I have sat through lessons or sermons that seek to parse out the difference between happiness and joy. I still don’t know the answer (or if it is generally helpful to spend a lot of time on that exercise). But I do feel that this quote included in week 6: Happiness addresses a practical way to think about and live with this dichotomy:
“It is an illusion to think that more comfort brings more happiness. True happiness comes of the capacity to think freely, to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to risk life, to be needed. -Storm Jameson (p23)”
Happiness doesn’t {always} come in the lack of challenge or difficulty, it can come through hard things. It can come as we develop and rely on relationships in our lives.
And I have found it helpful to remind myself: Happiness can come in very little things. And can be shared with others as we reach out in love.
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