Perspective: Finding Joy In The Moments

Some years ago, I went on a church trip to Kenya to visit an orphanage. Traveling wasn’t easy for me. Since high school, I’ve lived with fibromyalgia, a condition that makes pain a daily challenge. Walking is hard, sitting is hard, and stairs feel like mountains.

The children at the orphanage originally came from a place called Kipsongo Slum, which means “the place of no hope.” In Kipsongo, they had nothing. Their homes were made from plastic bags held up by sticks, and they slept on remnants of dirty cardboard boxes. They scavenged in garbage piles for food, picking through the scraps left by others who had almost nothing themselves—everyone just trying to survive.

They had come from nothing. But when I met the kids at the orphanage, they were filled with joy. They were happy, playing, laughing, and grateful. They lived in the moment, thrilled to see a new face, full of love, and eager to share it with us.

They accepted me and my friends simply because we showed up—no other reason. Just because we were there.

It made me reflect on my own daily mindset, on my pain, and how hard my days felt. By comparison, I realized I didn’t have any problems.

That experience changed me profoundly. I learned a new way of coping with pain—not letting it define me or stop me from living my life. I came to understand that when pain happens, we have a choice to make.

We can choose to focus on the pain, or we can choose joy. Whether that pain is physical, emotional, or overwhelming, we can all learn to make a decision that leads us to joy. It’s about making the Joy Decision. Stop making choices out of pain; instead, look for the joy in each moment. Make the Joy Decision.