Sometimes we should go back to actual definitions to refocus our attention. I “looked up” joy.
joy
a
: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : DELIGHT
b
: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : GAIETY
2
: a state of happiness or felicity : BLISS
3
: a source or cause of delight
And the definition reminded me of one of my favorite understandings of “success”, which is often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, but not without controversy!
To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.
