Joy to the World

I've had a earworm today.  "Joy to the world...to all the boys and girls...joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea...joy to you and me."  Then it starts over again.  I've always loved the Three Dog Night class rock hit, but why it is spinning over and over again...today...I don't know.

Even though the song recalls the initial theme of the Christmas carol about a time long ago, this joy to the world is about being joyful in the here and now and celebrates all of life around us.  Maybe that is why the song has been playing for me.  I've been noticing life around me today and mostly being joyful about it. 

Enough leaves have fallen from the trees in the park behind my apartment that I noticed seven deer just below my apartment the first thing this morning.  I thought how fortunate that I can live in a city and still have the deer almost close enough to touch.

Then, I went to the Farmers' Market. Harvest is a rich bounty at this time of year.  I love the smells of perfectly ripe tomatoes, fresh lettuce and peppers, and I was so tantalized by the smell of fresh basil that I brought a bunch home and placed it in a vase in my kitchen.  The fragrance has filled my kitchen all day.  And, I noticed.

I had no more than finished washing and storing my vegetables when it was time to have my periodic conversation with a friend in Canada.  We talk every four to six weeks, and I always delight in the connection we have.  We studied together a couple years ago, and because we both lived in the Eastern time zone, we often ended up partnering on assignments.  I have never met him, and yet,  I have felt blessed to have him in my life since we first talked.  When we ended the call, I just sat and was grateful to have him for a friend.

When that reverie passed, I could not resist creating wonderful foods with the bounty, so I puttered in the kitchen off and on all day.  The flavors are so intense when the vegetables are this fresh. 

So, yes, this has been a joy-to-the-world day.  All of them could be, if I just took time to notice.  I remember a line from a movie about an "angel" who has just passed over.  She says to her transition partner that she never took time to notice when she was alive.  I would hate to think that when my time comes that I haven't taken time to notice all the joy that is in my life. I've loved my joy-to-the-world day.  Joy to the world!