Finding Joy - Day 1

Whimsey, at The Creamery, had the brilliant idea about searching for joy in the everyday.  If you'll read her post, you'll see how she very eloquently talks about  the idea that joy needs to be extracted from life.  And in her subsequent posts, she has illustrated how to do that beautifully.

Admittedly, I am quite late at joining in this project, but it's such a worthwhile project, I thought I'd chime in.
And I think this one will come as a surprise to almost all of us:

Now I have ridden the stirrups across the nation. I've been through the good, the bad, and the ugly.  And even with the best doctors, I've never relished the experience; no woman ever does. 

But if you've read along you know I've kind of been at a stand still treatment wise, without much idea of where to turn.  And this Thursday's appointment, while not my favorite way to pass an afternoon, was with a doctor I really love and trust.  And who was open to some new ideas for treatment.  And most of all, listened and was supportive.  And in the midst of this, manages to give me some hope.

And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.  And worthy of joy.  And you can bet when I was done with the doctor, I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring parts of the City, enjoying some delicious chocolate and strawberry crepes (you'd prefer a picture of those, now wouldn't you?), and popping in to some local shops I've wanted to check out for quite a while.  The sun was shining, it was a gorgeous day, and I had some rare time to spend on myself.  Yet again, more joy.

Now hope can be a double-edged sword - all of us on this journey know this.  How hard it is to find Her peaking out and before you know it she's blossomed and living large.  And then she gets dashed and shredded, and you swear you are never going to let Her get a toe-hold in your heart again - it's just too painful.  And that may be where this may lead.  And if it does, I will surely know Hurt.  But I believe joy is a choice - something you choose to grab on to.  So for now, I will grab on to it and celebrate it with all I've got.

Thanks, Whimsey, for this challenge to recognize and pursue the joy in our lives.