joy

when we were riding in the car last weekend, chad asked me what i was thinking about and i replied with, "joni kabana's blog post about photographing in developing nations."  in her post, she talks about how people in africa experience joy in life like americans never experience. "often people will break out in song and dance, expressing pure and unadulterated elation." i have often thought that, when viewing photos from developing nations, there is a happiness in the faces of people there that we don't experience in this country.  they have so few material possessions, but hearts that are full of happiness and joy.  it seems that here in america, it is the opposite.  we have more than we could ever ask for, and yet we still complain.

i also can't help but think about how disconnected we are in this country.  we're disconnected socially (we're so wrapped up in our blackberries and iphones, we've completely forgotten how to interact face-to-face), agriculturally (there aren't many foods that we eat that wasn't first put through a lab), and physically (it's not uncommon to hear about how someone bought the latest and greatest video game system or the new flat-screen tv with a sharper picture.  heck, we even have video games that supposedly help get us in shape.  god forbid we actually go outside and walk around.).

i can't help but think that with all of our gyms, our top-of-the-line healthcare systems, our fad diets, we still couldn't physically do what ethiopian men and women do every day just to live.  the physical strength they need to collect wood to build a fire so they can cook their food, or so that they can walk to collect water, or so that they can walk for days just to get to a hospital.  it's beyond what any of us in this country could ever imagine.

when i mentioned this to chad, he had some interesting insight.  he said that they put all of their effort in to just living... getting from day to day.  whereas americans (or the developed world in general) take our shelter, food, water, clothing, for granted.  it's just there, provided for us at the store, or out of the tap.  he said that americans are looking for something else to fill the time other than just living.  they're looking for the next level.

it's a valid point.  however, the more i think about it, the more that i realize that is exactly what i DON'T want to do:  fill the time with meaningless things (blackberries, video games, reality tv) instead of living.  i want to know what it feels like to experience "pure joy and unadulterated elation."    i want to seek joy.  so, how do i get to that "next level" without using technology to get me there?  how do i stay connected, socially, agriculturally, physically, spiritually? most importantly, what can i do to help people?

tell me, what do you do to seek joy in your life?