Your joy is yours.

I recently learned about some upsetting news.

For the rest of the day, I apparently remained visibly and audibly upset as evidenced by the countless inquiries into my well-being from peers that I’m grateful to have in my life.

At some fortuitous point during the unfolding of my disappointment that day, I asked myself: why?

Not why as in why is this happening. What happened was life. Given enough time on this planet, no one makes it unscathed.

It was more of: why am I still sulking?

No one would question why I, an emotional creature, would be upset in the face of bad news. That’s not the perplexing part.

What is somewhat puzzling is why I would choose to remain upset for as long as I did.

One of the first things we initially forfeit in the face of bad news is our joy, yet there’s no physical law dictating how long you have to wait before reclaiming it.

Meaning: it is possible to be upset in one moment, and decide in the very next moment that you will not allow the news or situation to hold your happiness hostage.

You can choose to be happy and care.

You can choose to be happy and have a serious problem that needs addressing.

None of these things are incompatible.

Your joy is yours. The decision to maintain it in spite of life’s various (and inevitable) curveballs is yours.