Welcome back to Infinite Threads. I’m your host, Bob Barnett.
Today, I want to talk about something that might surprise you, especially if you’ve been feeling heavy lately.
It’s joy.
The kind you might’ve forgotten you could still feel.
Because joy can feel… far away, can’t it?
When life is hard, when headlines are relentless, when your own thoughts won’t stop running—all of it makes joy feel like a luxury. Like something for other people. Or for another time.
But I want to say something very clearly today:
Joy is not extra.Joy is not optional.Joy is not childish.
Joy is medicine.
Joy is part of love. It is a thread woven into you—into all of us.
And when we tap into it—when we remember it’s allowed, even in the middle of the mess—we remember something else:
That we are still alive. Still connected. Still whole, even when broken.
Let’s be real. The world is loud right now. Angry. Divided. Exhausted.
And in the face of all that, talking about joy might feel tone-deaf to some. Like it’s missing the point.
But I don’t think so.
I think it is the point.
Because joy doesn’t erase pain—it sits beside it. It says:“You’re hurting, but I’m still here.”“You’re tired, but you still have something to smile about.”“You’re human… and humans were meant to feel this too.”
I want you to remember the kind of joy that surprises you.
The kind that sneaks in when you least expect it.
Like the moment you hear your favorite song from when you were young, and something in you lights up.
Or when you smell a food you loved as a kid, and you’re instantly transported back to that kitchen, that hug, that sense of being held by the moment.
Or when someone makes a joke so stupid and unexpected, you laugh until your eyes water.
That is sacred.
That is joy.
That is life.
Here’s the truth: most of us don’t realize how often we sabotage our own joy.
We hold it at arm’s length. We say, “I’ll laugh later, when things calm down.”We wait until it feels “deserved.”
But joy is not a reward.It’s a tool. A lifeline. A source of strength.
And when we allow ourselves to feel it—even while things are hard—we become more resilient. More open. More loving.
Joy doesn’t make you forget what matters. It makes it easier to keep caring.
And you know what else?
Joy is contagious.
Have you ever been in the presence of someone who was genuinely joyful?
Not fake happy. Not pretending everything’s perfect. But real, soul-deep joy?
You can feel it. It changes you. You stand a little taller. You exhale a little easier. You want to share it.
That’s the thread we’re pulling on today.
Because when you find your joy again, you don’t just heal yourself—you become a source of light for someone else.
And maybe that’s exactly what they need.
So, how do you reconnect with your joy?
Here’s the best part: It doesn’t require a roadmap.
It’s already inside you.You’ve felt it before. You’ll feel it again.
Start small.
Laugh at something ridiculous.Watch a movie that makes you smile.Play your favorite song and actually dance.Let yourself be silly. Be loud. Be free.
Or be quiet and soft and still—whatever your joy looks like.
It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Joy can be a whisper or a roar. It can come from a memory or a moment. From a hug or a headline. From a joke or a sunrise.
Let it in.
This life is not just about surviving the chaos.
It’s about remembering—again and again—that you are still here.
You are still connected.
And you still have access to joy.
You haven’t lost it.
It’s just been waiting.
And when you reach for it—even tentatively—it reaches back.
Because joy is a thread that never breaks.It winds through every moment, every memory, every breath.It is love in motion. And it is for you.
So don’t wait for permission.
Don’t wait for perfect.
Don’t wait for someone else to go first.
Let yourself feel the joy you forgot you could feel.
Today.
Right now.
And let it ripple out into the world… in your smile, your voice, your light.
We need it.
We need you.
And we always have.
Infinite Threads: Daily Reflections on Love and Compassion is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
