“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

Sometimes we expect joy to come and go as our life experiences dictate. It’s either there or it’s not depending if something good happens or if we experience a stroke of bad luck or unfortunate event. However, joy isn’t that simple. For instance, a great thing can happen, but that doesn’t mean joy automatically follows suit if you aren’t feeling grateful. On the flip side, something horrible can happen, but you find the silver lining, and joy emerges from the pain. This quote, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, reminds us that joy doesn’t just happen to us. While it’s not always easy, we can and should always make the effort to choose it. And sometimes we have to remind ourselves to do so each day.