Emerald Myst Wanderings

Accounting & Joy Saturday, Apr. 19, 2003 - 12:33 am ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today I read this diary entry by dear Peg-Anne, and it really got me thinking. Because this is something I deal with a lot. There's seems to always be this struggle inside me to do what I need and want to do, rather than what others want me to do. And this also fits in well with what I was just saying in my previous entry. So two things occurred to me, the first of which I emailed to Kitten, the second I haven't but hopefully she can read all about it here. Both I want to record here though. First, is the first rule of accounting: In any endeavor, the benefit must outweigh the cost. When I was sitting in my Intro to Accounting class and the teacher said that, I thought, Holy crap, I'm learning the secret of life in an accounting class. The second thing takes some more explaining. Well actually the explaining isn't required, but I'm going to anyway. When I lived in Los Angeles, I worked at a church. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City. I was the office administrator. One of the things I did was print up copies of the sermons that were given so that people could read them if they wanted. (Although the resident minister didn't actually "write" sermons but instead spoke from notes so the only times I had to do this were when there was a guest speaker.) The minister at one of the nearby churches, Ricky Hoyt, gave a sermon at our church once which I didn't get to see, but did get to read. First I have to say that Ricky Hoyt is awesome. I could go on and on about why, but just accept that it's true. Anyway, this sermon of his, "Ode to Joy," so touched me, I kept a copy of it. You can read it on his website here. If it weren't so long, I'd copy and paste the whole thing here. So go read it; it's awesome. But let me pull out the parts that strike me most and that I think really apply to Peg-Anne's entry. So, to quote some bits: I believe joy is the ultimate goal of life. I believe that the means to that goal, and our calling as religious people, is to build worlds of love and peace and justice, but I don't think any of those qualities are the ultimate goal. Love and peace and justice are worthy but I think before working toward them one could legitimately ask the question why? ..... I believe we should work toward goals of love, peace and justice simply because those values will make our own lives more joyful. We will be happier because in peaceful worlds we won't be frightened, in loving worlds we won't be lonely, in just worlds we won't be oppressed. Peace, love, and justice are valuable because they create an environment where joy abounds. Joy is the goal. We don't owe our work for joy to any higher ideal, God or humanity. The value of joy is located within our selves. ..... I know there will be some of you who immediately say my own joy is not as important as the joy of others. Or you'll say my being joyful isn't as important as my being of service. I think that's wrong. I don't think there is anything more important than joy. And I know there is no one more deserving of being joyful than you. Let me state this as radically as possible. If social justice work doesn't bring you joy, you shouldn't do it. It's got to bring you joy to raise money, or distribute food, or go on a march, or paint the banners, or don't do it. If your work to increase someone else's joy is at the expense of your own joy, then don't do it. The world has gained nothing if a miserable person is made happy and a happy person is made miserable. That third bit is the part that always really strikes me, especially in relation to someone like Peg-Anne. I suppose I agree that joy is the ultimate universal goal. With that in mind then, the best thing to do is to bring more joy to the universe. Simply giving away your joy and leaving none for yourself does not bring more joy to the Universe. Nothing has really been accomplished; joy has just been traded, not created. So now go and read the whole sermon. It's here. Some of his final words: Let yourself be motivated by joy. Insist on joy. If you find yourself doing something for any other reason than because it brings you joy then change your attitude or find something else to do. ... Let the life that you are constantly creating by your free decisions be forever guided by the goal of joy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ previous - next most recent entries: Crummy - Monday, Jul. 12, 2004 Can't Decide - Monday, Jun. 07, 2004 Letting Go - Friday, Jun. 04, 2004 Google 5 - Tuesday, May. 18, 2004 Before Tattoo - Wednesday, May. 12, 2004 older entries random entry profile * sign my guestbook* For a more complete view of my life, read these: live journal ~ gratitude journal DiaryLand