Noticing joy is the one thing that is worth shouting from the rooftops and I wanted to share it with you. If I died today, this is my message to the world. It has drastically altered my life and has the potential to do the same for you.
Last week, I become a grandma to what is affectionately known as Irish Triplets. My 20 year old daughter and her partner had three babies within nine months, in two different pregnancies. At forty-eight years of age, I already have four grandchildren, under the age of four, including boy and girl newborn twins currently in NICU, a nine month old and three and a half year old grandson! Noticing joy will be even more important than ever, as more little loves fill our days.
Only two months ago, I had part of my right kidney cut off, along with a cancerous tumour. I am all healed up now, cancer free, with no follow-up cancer treatment required. I am more grateful than ever. Noticing joy was my motto, before, during and after this medical issue. My sister also had the same cancer and her entire kidney removed, in her thirties, discovered right after her wedding.
Last summer, my Mom had a tumour, the size of a junior soccer ball, removed from her ovary. She looked pregnant and just thought she had gained some weight. After it being discovered and her not being able to handle the unbearable pain, it turns out that the tumour had twisted and torqued around itself, several times. Noticing joy helped me to stay grounded during the out of town procedure and her hospital stay.
Years ago, my husband had a series of health concerns over an eighteen month period, including colon cancer, that had spread to his lymph nodes, back surgery to remove a disk from his back, a broken ankle, requiring surgery with pins and screws, a ruptured and gangrene appendix removal and subsequent hospital infections, including C difficile. Noticing joy got us through all that.
In my former career as a police officer, after witnessing several dead bodies, crime scenes and accidents, noticing joy helps me to deal with the post traumatic stress that lingers.
I have taken almost twenty-five thousand photos, found on my Facebook page alone, capturing moments of joy that I notice all around me, all of the time. It is how I replenish my energy, reenergize my spirit and recuperate from hard times.
No matter what adversity I am facing, no matter what things my family has to go through, no matter how many night terrors I have, no matter what difficulty crosses our path, I believe that there is always something to be grateful for.
Our time on earth is limited. Our experiences will all be unique, but inevitably, we all suffer some sort of pain. Noticing joy helps. Noticing joy heals. What is joy for you?
My joy is nature, travel, outdoors, flowers, peace and moments of love, fun, adventure, exploration, bliss and beauty. Notice JOY. Watch how your life shifts.
www.Facebook.com/JulieHryniewicz
IrishTripletGrandma.com