The undeniable glow and effervescence and surprise

May 25, 2017 11:04 AM

At some point, everybody in this world gets knocked off the road of happiness, stripped of their myriad opportunities for wonder and discarded into the gutter of suffering.

It’s tragic, but it’s as inevitable as the tides of the sea and the setting of the sun.

And so, the existential responsibility we have as citizens of this planet is to leave other people with joy ringing in their ears, as often as possible.

I know it sounds sappy. But for those of us who still have that little lamp of idealism still burning, the act of bringing joy to others is a profoundly underrated way to create a significant and renewable source of engagement and meaning for ourselves. One that can’t be harvested anywhere else.

Years ago, I started busking in the park by my house. And among the myriad benefits of performing music in public, by far the most rewarding and memorable part of the experience is watching the undeniable glow and effervescence and surprise suddenly appear on people’s faces when they first encounter it.

Marley was right when he said that the good thing about music is, when it hits you, you feel no pain.

What’s more, it’s a powerful feedback loop. My joy in playing the music infects the audience, and their joy in hearing the music bounces back and encourages me to continue.

And so, it’s a relational affair. Joy is mainlined into to the soul through human connection.

Which isn’t to say joy can’t be experienced alone. Because it can and should. Early and often.

But like so many of life’s great elixirs, it’s best when shared.

Our joy is more fully realized when we help others experience their own version of it.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

How are you leaving people with joy ringing in their ears?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

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Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.