Existential Joy
Find your thing, whatever it is. And if you lose that, find another.
Thanks for reading this free story from Science-Fiction-Create. This little reality check/pick-me-up is in memory of a joyful friend I once had. She’s gone now, but each day I learn to appreciate her words more and more. Enjoy! ~JRC
Approx. 650 words; three minutes read time.
A thought exercise: think about before you were born.
I'm not suggesting you ponder the history and pre-history before your birth. Instead, think about you before you were you.
Imagine not existing.
Does it make you feel uneasy? A little scared? It should. Existential reflection challenges our highest cognitive and emotional abilities.
This is existential dread.
Visualizing a time that each of us did not exist is virtually impossible, even though we know it to be true. Easier to imagine is that one day each of us will die.
Death, although readily anticipated, is a more troubling thought. There's something about tasting life, then having it blink out, that doesn't seem fair. But as the saying goes, expecting life to be fair is like expecting a tiger not to eat you.
The brevity of life should inspire us to make the most of it. Cliche, perhaps. But before we become food for something else - be it a tiger or the worms in our grave - there’s plenty reason to get on with living.
The practical side to existential reflection is it helps us see how miraculous living is.
Take right now for example. Here we are, interacting over space and time and thinking about life and living. Now consider all the events, circumstances, and, yes, luck that led us to this moment. Things might not be going according to plan, but do they ever? This day is here, and we're in it - that's awesome. Rejoice, people - we’re alive!
This is existential joy.
I'm finding that my making and writing are what I need right now to savor the joy of life. In using my creativity, I shed my burdens and focus on what I love. The benefits are great - I am more emotionally available for loved ones, which is the best part. And for the first time in a long time, I go to bed excited about waking up the next day. For a while there, I thought I had lost that love of life. But every day as of late feels like Christmas morning.
If you are lucky, you are feeling the joys of life too. But there's a good chance you aren't. Life sucks - often. Too often, honestly, and right now, there are so many issues that it’s understandable if joy is elusive.
I've spent so much of my life in joyless pursuits, even in good times. What a waste that was. But not at the moment. Right now, I have hold of some substantial joy. And I aim to appreciate it while it's around.
Look, I know I am possibly moments away from a joy-busting tragedy. That's the curious nature of joy - it's fleeting. And the best way to suck the joy out of joy is by focusing on it ending before it's over.
I've done this too often to count. No, this time I intend to ride the joy wave for as long as possible. When it crashes - as it always does - I hope I can find the strength to regroup, recenter, and refocus to get back up again. There will be another reason for joy, despite the inevitable heartache to come.
When existential dread starts boiling up inside you, where do you turn? Do you tamp it down, avoiding it? Do you succumb, or do you find purpose in work, family, art, religion, science, or philosophy? A little of each, or perhaps something else? Whatever it is, I hope you find it - that joyous reason to live. When you do, and I have hope you will, grab hold and don't let go. But be forewarned - it will escape you as quickly as you found it. It always does. Just don't dwell on the loss when it happens. Instead, open yourself up to new joys that await.
Remember, it's never too late. Existential joy is for everyone.
Until next time. Science. Fiction. Create.
JRC
Loving all the growth 😊