Moments of Joy

When the world can feel too heavy, when we feel overwhelmed with bad news and negativity, experiencing a small moment of joy can ignite a spark of hope and foster a simple form of human connection.  

I occasionally reference the book Creating Moments of Joy by Jolene Brackey for reminders on how to show up for another person with compassion, understanding, and a humanistic approach.  Her book is a guide for caregivers, outlining practical ways to care for and interact with those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  The lasting impression I was left with is to focus a little less on the problems, and focus a little more energy on creating small moments of joy with someone, whatever that may look like.  It can be as simple as a meaningful song, sharing a laugh, or enjoying a chocolate with your morning coffee. She explains that making great memories may not be attainable anymore, but a small moment that can put a smile on someone’s face, lighten the mood, or brighten their day can have a lasting effect, even if that person may not remember it tomorrow. 

Create a Moment (ideas from Jolene Brackey):

• Laugh together

• Read their favorite poem

• Dance

• Watch the birds

• Share a funny story

• Remember the good times

• Listen to their stories

• Cover their lap with a warm blanket

• Pick their favorite flower

• Touch, feel, talk about their favorite things

• Look at photos

I believe that the perspective of creating moments of joy can be shared with anybody, regardless of age, ability, or diagnosis.  As a music therapist, applying this perspective to practice could build rapport and support a variety of cognitive, emotional, physical, and psychosocial goals.  As a human being, applying this perspective could be a beautiful way to share a connection with someone else, even if just for a moment.  With that being said, life cannot be and is not joyous all the time.  Finding the right moment to give that extra bit of intention and thoughtfulness could have a positive, lingering effect on someone more than you may ever know.

As I concluded my final music therapy session for the day, I reflected on when I shared some moments of joy with someone else (some planned, some not).  A few of these moments included attempting to dance like Napoleon Dynamite to “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai, completing a songwriting mad-libs and laughing at the results until we had tears in our eyes, and reading up on good hotdog recipes for the summer (which had nothing to do with music, but everything to do with fond memories and meaningful traditions). 

It takes time, patience, and curiosity to know a person and figure out how to create some of those moments of joy, but a bit of intention, human connection, and a few minutes could make a significant impact.  Where will you sprinkle in some moments of joy for yourself or with others this week?

A couple of tunes to spark inspiration:

• Lovely Day by Bill Withers

• Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Jackie DeShannon

Source:  Brackey, J. (2018). Creating moments of joy. Enhanced Moments.