I believe in the importance of a well-lived life. However, recently, as I reflected back on the past year, I believe it’s something more than that.
I have talked about how it was important for me, and I believe for all of us, to take advantage of the opportunity we had during the pandemic, when we weren’t able to do many of the usual activities in our lives that give us joy (for me, one of those was hosting pool parties and dinner parties), to do other things that maybe we’ve been putting off or just want to do. However, as I think back on the past year, I know that I created many items for Chelle Summer, yet it felt as if something was missing.
I realize that sounds silly because one of my frequent early morning prayers is to not just have a productive day, but to make the most of the day ahead of me. That’s when it struck me that it’s also about having meaningful day, a meaningful life.
A better way, I believe, to put it is to have a well-lived meaningful life.
I can be productive– I can clean my house and do the laundry and that’s productive. But, really, it doesn’t bring me great joy beyond the satisfaction of knowing a weekly chore has been accomplished.
Instead, there has to be something more to the day, something that brings meaning to it for me. Usually, that’s in spending some time being creative. Yesterday, I painted a bedroom wall, a bathroom ceiling, and a nightstand. After taking Saturday to clean the house (not joyful!), but then taking Sunday to do several things that were creative and happy, they brought me great joy.
Each day we have is a gift, yes, but we also need to find those aspects of it that make it meaningful, that spark our joy, that keep us inspired to get up and do it again tomorrow.