Joy. Joy is a strange word. Some spiritual teachers refer to joy as being a guide to that which aligns with your soul. They describe it as distinct from happiness, a temporary satisfaction of the temporary self. Times I’ve felt joy recently:

• Sitting in the sun on the riverfront, with my eyes closed.
  
  
• Being the recipient of a rare snuggle-fest from Tan.
  
  
• Going for a drive with Al and listening to Sufjan Stevens.
  
  
• Singing happy birthday to a friend as a surprise, with a tray of (vegan and delicious) donuts.
  
  
• Eating a piece of real bread.

I do think it’s true that whenever something is a real struggle, it’s a sign that there is a misalignment there. Gad the mind is a tricky s.o.b though! It’s so hard to see whether you’re actually struggling, why you’re struggling, to see the root of it. It’s hard to know when you really feel joy, too. But when you know, you know.

An addition to the list of recent times I’ve felt joy: seeing Al be the next lucky recipient of a Tan snuggle, right now.

Also add: playing my guitar.