Try This for On-Demand Joy
Hello friends,
Happy autumn to all of you. I’m delighted to share with you my recent experience of joy. I benefited from it and hope you will too.
You may notice that this blog post looks different than in the past . . . That’s because I’ve been working with Julie Epstein, my media consultant, to simplify the process so I can gradually take over the technical side of sending out my monthly newsletter/blog. Please let me know if you see any glitches.
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The September sky was a happy shade of clear blue. The fresh air blowing through the open car window energized me and lightened my mood. I had no plans except to accompany my husband on a drive to our favorite nature park for a Saturday morning hike around the lake. Just then, not far from our suburban home, I saw and heard a freight train approaching along a track parallel to the road, easily visible from the passenger seat where I was sitting. Grinning, I impulsively stuck my arm out the window and started wildly pumping my fist up and down in an effort to attract the attention of the train engineer so that he would blow his horn.
It worked! He blew his horn.
It may have only lasted a few seconds, but the sound was rich and resonant, like a harmony of multiple horns. Those reverberating tones created a powerful burst of connection and goodwill—my husband and I broke into gleeful laughter and huge smiles filled our faces. That warm happy feeling and those smiles lasted during the entire morning—and they come back each time I think about that nice engineer who blew his horn for me. It reminds me of my childhood when my brothers and I loved to do the arm pump to get truck drivers to honk for us. I didn’t realize that performing this gesture is called a “trucker salute,” a tradition intended to thank the truckers. I always thought it was meant to make kids happy, which it certainly does.
Truckers report that over the years they are seeing fewer and fewer trucker salutes. Maybe this is because of air conditioning and closed windows or perhaps it’s due to the fact that more children are using their screens for games or movies instead of looking out of the window. The Covid crisis and the trucker shortage spurred an effort to revive this tradition as a way for us to express gratitude to the drivers. I’m all for this simple gesture, especially because I think so many can benefit— drivers, engineers, saluters, and observers all can share this moment of joy.
That brief honk had an unexpected effect on me. Immediately I knew I had to share this trucker salute experience with you in place of the heavy and dry post I’d already prepared. I had written about my angst, confusion, and lack of clarity about the many issues of the day and now realized that this litany of my struggles would not be very helpful for you . But the conclusion I reached during the writing of that now-shelved essay is valuable and worth sharing.
To my repeated and strident questions about what I was supposed to think, say, or do about X, Y, and Z issues, God gave me a clear answer. He made it clear to me that I have been grasping for clarity and answers that are not mine to have and that I must gracefully accept that fact. He said that only with this acceptance and surrender will I find true peace.
Thank you, Jesus, for reminding me that I am not God, that I don’t need to understand everything, and that I just need to do my best—and then trust you with the rest.
The train horn and resulting burst of joy have given me more clarity than all my hours and days of grasping and struggling. God certainly does have a sense of humor.
SUGGESTIONS:
Try the trucker salute or introduce it to your kids.
Search for people, places, things, or circumstances that create bursts of joy. Then savor those moments. Like a giggling child, a loving dog, a flower, an intimate prayer, a smile from a stranger, your favorite song—the possibilities are endless.
If you like the sound of a distant train at night, click here to experience that sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea8rkQFXEr4
Please accept my apologies if it seems like I’m advocating more noise in a too-noisy world. The trucker salute is brief, and my hope is that the burst of joy it creates will offset the negative effect of more noise.
“Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24)
EXTRAS
Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey recently won a silver medal in Christian Non-fiction from Readers’ Favorite, the 4th literary organization to have recognized my book. I am deeply honored. Please help me share my message by reading it, recommending it, and reviewing it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
I’m enjoying being a guest on multiple podcasts that discuss various topics related to my interests. These podcasters are fascinating people who are passionate about their mission. I get to share my story in a way that hopefully helps listeners better find their own paths to serenity and health. I encourage you to check out the most recent episodes:
F.I.T. in Faith Podcast with Tamra Andress “You Can Have Serenity and Health”
A Walk Through the Word: Daily Bread with Crystal Freie “More Trust=Less Stress”
https://livingto100.club/2022/09/21/serenity-and-health-a-physicians-evolution-in-health-care/ “A Doctor’s Evolution in Health-Care”
Love and prayers.
Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, her podcast/vlog series Pop-Up Conversations on Health of Mind, Body, and Spirit, and programs at her church. She is the author of Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey (Luminare Press, 2021), a recent best-seller on Amazon, 2022 Illumination Awards Gold Medal Winner, and 2022 Reader Views Literary Award Gold Medal Winner.