The 7 Joys of My Life

The other morning as I was praying, I mentioned the ones I pray for first every morning, and thanked God for these, "7 joys of my life." I did not plan to say that, nor did I ever think of these seven as being the "joys of my life" before that morning. But there it was, and it fit perfectly as a way to describe them. This doesn't mean that I don't have other joys in my life, including and certainly first and foremost an ongoing relationship with God and my Lord Jesus Christ. I have a brother and his family, wonderful friends, and interesting and fulfilling work. And I have the joy I feel being able to fulfill my writing dreams on Hub Pages. But I would say that these seven joys are the ones who surround me daily here on Earth and offer me a sense of love and fulfillment on a daily basis.

Joy # 1: My Husband

My husband and I have been married for just two years. But we knew each other 36 years ago. This is not the first marriage for either of us. We reunited and started dating, but due to complications, we waited awhile to get married, and also, to begin living together. Exactly two years, one month and 21 days after our marriage, I moved into his home and have lived here now with him for 17 days! Loving him for seven years has been one of the best experiences of my life. And being loved by him feels like how true love should feel...I am loved unconditionally by this man whom I love, like, and respect. Also, I am attracted to him physically as well as intellectually. This doesn't always happen in a marriage. Our love is better than any love I could have imagined. And if I can be cliche for a second, it does feel like a fairy tale come true. I know that in this day and age it is not politically correct to teach our daughters about Prince Charming coming into their lives. But I know it is possible. The Prince does not have to rescue the girls of today, but it is possible to find that Prince who rides in on a white horse to love, respect and protect them. And the best part is, they can offer the same kind of love, respect, and protection right back to the Prince...as long as they don't give up too soon and settle for the first frog that comes along. Yes, I am blessed with this man, and he has brought more joy, love, and laughter into my life than I could ever have imagined. So, my husband is my first joy.

Joys # 2, 3 and 4: My Children

My three children aren't perfect, but they have been entrusted to me by God, to love and cherish for my lifetime. I have always wanted to love unconditionally. In becoming their mother, I was given that chance, not once, but three times. Nursing them, rocking them to sleep in the rocking chair in their room, watching them grow, take their first steps, say their first words, give kisses and hugs to me and others close to them, make friends of their own, and find their destiny has been an interesting journey. From the moment I knew they were inside me, I have loved them and will carry that love in my heart for each of them as long as I live. Motherhood is a precious gift, and one I will always be grateful for. So my three children are my joys numbers 2, 3 and 4.

Joys # 5 and 6: My Parents

I am fortunate to still have both of my parents living on this Earth. And although we have had our ups and downs, I always love them. Looking back on my childhood, I can remember lessons they taught me that help guide me even now. And although I may not have been in favor of decisions they made back then, as a parent now, I can understand why they made them. Many people say that they want their children to have more than what they had when they were growing up. Although my parents did not have a lot of extra money, I never felt that I lacked anything materialistically. I want my children to have what I had which is a loving, intellectually stimulating and good childhood. I feel my parents did the best they knew how to raise my brother and me to be responsible adults. And not only have we become responsible adults but happy and successful ones as well. As I have grown older, my relationship with my parents has grown as well. We enjoy spending time together with them and my husband doing activities that are enjoyable for all of us, not an obligation. There are days when their health concerns me. As time goes by, these days are more frequent. But I am happy that they share my life and the lives of my children. So my parents are my joys numbers 5 and 6.

Joy # 7: My Dog

My dog was originally my daughter's dog, "Reeses. I have already written two hubs about her because that's how much joy she has brought to my life. Her sweetness and loyalty are amazing to me, and I enjoy my time with her so much. She is also the smartest dog I know. All my life my family had Golden Retrievers, and although they were sweet and beautiful creatures, they were not very smart. But Reeses is a mutt we adopted from the Humane Society, part terrier, and very smart. She is also very loving, giving kisses and wagging her tail quite often which is a delightful addition to my life. We have a lot in common, this dog and I. We both love to be around people we love, and enjoy showing that love to them. We both enjoy nature and taking long walks in the woods and at the beach. We are both happy, but also are rather anxious ( although she shakes during thunderstorms and when people raise their voice, and I do not!), And we will do pretty much anything to make those we love happy! So Reeses is my 7th joy.

I am a blessed woman, and I am glad I have realized that before it is too late to enjoy the blessings that bring me such joy!