Occasionally in life, there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Joy. Delight. Bliss. Glee To enjoy oneself, or what one does, or what one experiences. Not too long ago, I thought that these moments of pure, unadulterated joy were nothing but short bursts in-between dull and gray drudgery; small gifts which make life bearable. Oh, what a horrible thing to think.

I now realize that the theft of joy in my life was systemic, and I have the suspicion that I was not the sole victim of this crime.

Joy: finding meaning in a meaningless universe, hope in a hopeless world, delight in breathing, profundity in what seems ordinary. The world is truly magical if one dares to look at it properly.

Joy! Joy! I did not know that all this world is so much part of me, that we are all one army, that windflowers and stars struggle to right and left of me and do not know me; but I turn to them and hail them.

Nikos Kazantzakis

For the first time since a long while, I can truly say that I enjoy what I am doing. And what I’m doing is strange indeed. I talk with strangers for hours on end; strangers which I’ve never seen and never met. I write about things which I do not understand; things which are too complicated to be understood fully. I build things without having an exact blueprint; some might be useful, others won’t be. It doesn’t matter, I enjoy it anyway.

Martin Luther King Jr. was right. It cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. So I won’t even try. But I guess I will keep doing what I’m doing. Walking the path ahead, guided by joy.

Who is the happiest of men? He who values the merits of others, And in their pleasure takes joy, even as though it were his own.

Johann Wolfgang von Göthe

Translations

• German translation by Der Geier

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