I Create Joy

How do I CREATE JOY?

WINNING JOY 

- Joy Krauthammer


http://joys-joyousjoy.blogspot.com/

When the invitation arrived, and after nominating myself, for the Spirit of Joy award, and having the name JOY and being my name JOY, I WON the free hotel room night at Joie de' Vivre in San Francisco, but I did not take a trip to the SF JOYS celebration. 

Since I love sharing in joy, here's my self nomination proposal.

   (I turned 60 two months before writing this.)

August 26, 2007    Nominating JOY    

Nomination to Joie de’ Vivre hotel: ksanchez@jdvhospitality.com

HI,  I nominate myself, JOY, for Spirit of Joy award.  

   

How do I create JOY?

This is what I am. JOY. It is what I do. It is how I transcend and transform.

It is how I "make lemon aide out of lemons." It is what I offer others to be, not just for myself.

I invite friends on my Joy journeys, on my Tree of Life, to share the joy, my passions, and to connect with their own joy.

As percussionist, it is how I 'perform' or how 'I am played'.  I have written in gold on my instruments, "CREATE JOY." People tell me that they light up when they are in my presence as I perform.

I reflect the joy in others that I see and feel, especially as I play, and then others feel more joy. Joy circulates

My business cards have read, Gifts of JOY, Angels of JOY, and Serve G*d With Joy.

When I visit the elderly and the infirm, to do Bikkur Cholim, I bring JOY.  Barefoot I walk on the grass under a tree, to fill myself-- to bring the joy energy of the tree with me, along with G*d's beautiful blooming flowers from my garden.

Tonight I went to a class where I had never been, and in joy, I brought my garden's fresh figs filled with joy to the hosts.

Last night I went to a friend's birthday party and there were guests that I did not know, who looked like they did not know anyone but the guest of honor.  I brought over my joy to them, the stranger, instead of sitting with my own friends with whom I wanted to visit, so that the stranger, too, could feel joy and feel included.  With intention, I introduced people to each other. I connect so that the world feels closer.

I realize that I do this wherever I am, including, inclusively, so others don’t feel left out, or alone.

This sensitivity and caring, my compassion, is my innate nature in creating more joy. 


As an adult, my very first friend in life, Terry Lenihan, of blessed memory, reminded me that when we were together in kindergarten, I befriended her so she was not alone.

My Hebrew name is Gila (joy of happiness) Rena (joy of song) Tzohara (window at the top of Noah’s ark).

This translates to "double Joy and Light."

When I was again named in Hebrew, in a ceremony, my teacher, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, z’l, called me "double Joy and Light" and said, that I had a million reasons to cry but you only saw my joy. Reb Shlomo called me his “holy sister” and “holy drummer”. (We were all his holy siblings.)

When my husband, of blessed memory, died last year after 18 years of finally paralyzing cancer; when he was being laid by friends and family into the ground—interred in the grave, I called out loud in joy, "Free, he's free at last."   I expressed the joy of him not suffering any longer.

Whether it is a funeral, or performing to bring 150 women to praise and dance in a temple, or playing percussion to remember my teachers of blessed memory, or my serving as Sound Healer as a volunteer whereever I go, it is the joy of the giving and of the sharing, and my receiving, and in having people receive the vibrational sounds of the drums, gongs, and the crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, which in joy, I bought in Tibet.

I celebrate the joy of going out barefoot in the morning at dawn with the first colorful rays of the sunrise, and to sing and dance my prayers, and finding the fallen fruits from the vine, have the joy of delivering fruits daily to those who I know could enjoy the joy of G*d’s succulent creations.


It is the joy of seeing the seed planted and watching it grow.  It is the joy of the first flowers that I saw today.

It is saying Shehecheyanu in experiencing each new joyous moment, and having been sustained to reach this time.

It is the joy I have making another happy.

It is the joy I have seeing another succeed in whatever is good for them. It is feeling the 'empathetic joy', when another has accomplished and is living a right life and is happy, and I feel their happiness and share that with them. They then are happy that another knows...


It is the joy of knowing that there is a club for people filled with joy; And a hotel named Joie de' Vivre.

“Joy breaks through all barriers.” The Baal Shem Tov

Joy Krauthammer

"Serve G*d in Joy"


PS

Friends, there is so much more JOY than this, but I shared some here.
I feel the joy of the rains that we are blessed to receive.


For my photos, art, prose and poems on my joy, please enjoy my other Joy blogs, by clicking on SEE MY PROFILE connected to ABOUT ME.
Enjoy the Joy photo, me wearing my purple angel wings.


I think it is important to realize how one functions in the world, and what our attributes are, and how we can be inspiring and uplifting to others.


I bless you to be in YOUR OWN JOY, and to share it, 

BlesSings,
JOY
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"This is what I am. JOY. It is what I do.
It is how I transcend and transform.
In joy I wear my purple angel wings
to shul, to concerts, and when I perform.
I share purple wings with others." - Joy K.

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Feel free to leave a COMMENT below. I will have the joy of hearing from you.

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