Whenever we go to stay with my father-in-law, at a certain point in the afternoon or early evening, he'll look at us and ask, "Is it Oh Be Joyful time?"
We always say yes.
Most people, I guess, would call it Happy Hour. But the way we play it goes beyond that. Yes, alcohol is involved, but it's not required. A drink is poured, glasses are clinked. "Oh Be Joyful," we say to each other. And we smile, and talk about the day, the world. Life.
Oh Be Joyful was a toast started by Dad's friend Reg Carter. I love it. Happy Hour ends when Happy Hour's up. Oh Be Joyful is a way of life. It calls for appreciation. Celebrating the day with the people around you. Building on that spirit day by day.
After a very tiring week, you can bet I need a little Oh Be Joyful today.
So once we're done working over at the other house, Alan and I will crack open a bottle of something or other, put out a few snacks and celebrate life.
Because, if I've learned anything in my forty-six years on this planet, it's that we don't get to keep the people that we love forever. And in the face of that, writhing in agony because our house plans have taken a detour seems like a major waste of grace.
So tonight we will raise a toast to plumbers and understanding tenants. Supportive spouses and the blogging community. Not forgetting the availability of easy credit.
Oh Be Joyful people. I'm so glad you're here!
5 comments:
Glad to be here for you. Oh be joyful!
Janet
What a good idea! It is so good to do that. Our flooded garden was finally resolved after over 2 weeks on Friday - and I feel so grateful to not have to be coping with that anymore!
Am enjoying the process of your triplex!
I love this Oh be joyful idea. And it gives me such perspective right now. Thank you for that:-)
What a beautiful post. i'm trying to cultivate/practice gratitude, and this just makes so much sense. In practicing Oh Be Joyful, i'd be practicing gratitude, on purpose, daily! And i suppose i could just have a cup of Earl Grey! i really gotta hand it to our parents' and their parents' generation, cuz man, they sometimes didn't have much to Be Joyful about, but still took time to feel gratitude...
and by the way, your dad-in-law is such a great guy.
He is a cool dude!
I can't wait to tell him that Oh Be Joyful is now a worldwide event.
Thanks, everyone!
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