For years, I have been making cards proclaiming JOY! As in “Joy to the World”, the third Sunday of Advent…the shepherds. I guess it started with celebrating Advent at church…something I still practice. But, what does it mean, exactly? Especially now, as we face situations that can work to suck away our joy—-what miniscule amounts of it some people have.

I read Tristan Katz’s Substack article d “Joy as Resistance” and that’s helping me rethink my ideas of what it means beyond Christmas and Advent. Is JOY for everyone? How do we “make” joy? Can we make it? What is it going to look like in these complicated times? How can I bring joy into this crazy, crazy situation?

These images came from a Google search. And I’m trying to figure out why Joy comes from Resistance.

Joy is somthing that we can create. Make a wall hanging that looks nice and hang it on the wall. Add colour and butterflies and flowers. Find happy art. Make happy art. And when I look up I see exactly that – a frame I made years ago, complete with butterflies and flowers. And yeah, it’s still here, after lots of decluttering! Maybe this is the easiest way to create joy for ourselves. If we have the time.

Joy needs to be fought for – not only the getting of it, but the keeping, too. People targeted by those who are ‘anti-woke’. People of colour. They are fighting for it. Both Living Resistence and Black Joy are books about that fight.. People living in poverty, struggling to make ends meet. People whose loved ones are missing and perhaps murdered or trafficked away. Both Living Resistence and Black Joy are books about their acts of resistance.

I have come to the realization that JOY is not what I thought it was. It’s bigger, it’s more, and I haven’t really had to fight for it. I came at the idea of JOY at church. Originally, and still, there are two angels. The O used to have a circle beside it – the tomb of Jesus. Now, I wonder if this is too simplistic and too safe.

I’m not sure if any of this is helpful to anyone else, but I hope it is. If nothing else there are two books help me broaden my understanding of JOY in the world we are living in.

Marcia

PS: Both books are available on Audible, just an FYI.