Finding the Joy

I’m going on a joy hunt!

It’s been a tough year for our family. Ken’s brother died in May and my elder sister at the end of August. As you may know, grief rolls in unannounced and especially around this time of the year when other special people are remembered. This is why I am trying to look out for times when things are good - or maybe more than good. It’s a common tool in psychology to help combat anxiety or depression by rating activities for pleasure. That’s not quite joy, but certainly a step towards it.

I’ve had a great deal of pleasure in my reading. YA novels with alternative futures or parallel lives are fairly closely aligned with the dystopian novel I am writing at present. Recently, I have read T for Tolerance by Katherine Blessan, Beyond the Horizon from the Flip series by Trevor Stubbs and The Life Shop by Margaret McAllister. All excellent books, which make the reader think. I recommend all three. On a pleasure scale reading those books would be rated 10/10.

Over the last few weeks there have been some glimpses of joy. In the span of ten days we saw all of our four great-grandchildren, which included tea and birthday cake for the youngest aged 1 year, with his sisters, and a separate visit to the London Aquarium with a four-year old. All of these children are absolutely delightful. There is nothing quite like the wonder on a young child’s face when she discovers something new, even if it is that her favourite fish - a shark - is much, much bigger than she is. Seeing great-grandchildren? 10/10

I had a good time with my younger sister and her husband at the Thursford Spectacular. For those who don’t know about this, it is an annual variety show that runs for several weeks in and around a steam museum in Norfolk. It’s not just a show, there is a huge marquee providing a restaurant plus other eateries along with a few quirky shops and more Christmas lighting among and through the trees than you could imagine. I wasn’t sure it was my thing, and the MC’s jokes were a bit borderline. However, I was surprised at the quality of the dancers and the choir were magnificent especially when singing lovely carols from amongst the audience. Ave Maria was spine-tingly beautiful.

Then there was the dance showcase for Counterpoint, a company made up of older dancers, run by Simona Scotto. I’m in one of her dance classes although not in Counterpoint. She likes to celebrate other achievements/talents amongst dancers so asked me to read from The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ. I nearly read from it last year, but someone else read it for me as I was ill. The company danced extremely well and I particularly enjoyed a piece choreographed by Ann Clifford, despite it being before I read my excerpts. I was nervous, as I always am when I read my own work, but it went well. 10/10 for watching dance and 4/10 for the pleasure of reading.

I’m reviewing and editing my novel now, which I quite enjoy as I mould my efforts into something finer and worthy of publication. It doesn’t have the same feel as writing the first draft with ideas tumbling over each other as they become a tangible, living story. So 7/10 for editing and 10/10 for writing a first draft.

I haven’t included church here, despite my quest for joy being a spiritual one in that the Apostle Paul tells us to rejoice always. With my head knowledge I can rejoice in my salvation, I know I have joy in the Lord but I also know that he bears my pain and carries my sorrows and when I am grieving or feeling rejected he understands completely. And I can read my Bible and find verses giving me contentment, peace and love. 

I can’t rate that enough.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Philippians 4:4

Annie Try writes novels for adults and young adults. Her latest published book for YA is The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ’ published by Kevin Mayhew. She has two more YA novels in their final stages. She loves speaking at events and running workshops on writing and psychology.