Let your Heart Thrill

In the morning I sit in an eastern window as the sun comes up.
Each day this week
on the tip top of our neighbors roof
there has stood a lone bird, chirp, chirp, chirp.
It doesn't twill a melody,
just chirp, chirp, chirp
rather loudly, irregularly, but constantly.
It reminds me of the warning signal
when the batteries are low in the smoke alarm.
(though not as loud or as annoying, TBTG)
I have given it a casual glance each morning,
amazed at it's persistence.
But this morning, halfway through my prayer reading and coffee,
I noticed all was silent.
I looked out at their roof just in time to see this feathered friend
alight there and begin to shout out at the new day
chirp, chirp, chirp.
I watched it's effort-
every chirp caused it's tail feathers to stiffen and lift
and it's toes (do birds have toes?)
to lift off the ground, as we might do to stand on our heels.
There was no doubt this little guy was putting
everything he had into that morning shout out
and just the act of doing so 'curled his toes and shook his tail feathers'
Yes, by all appearances he was thrilled to make his unique glad noise!
He was made for it, and finding his Joie de vivre,
happily engaged in the task, never mind the effort it took.
This is not finding joy in life but the joy of living -
I looked it up...
Joie de vivre is a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy,
a philosophy of life, a Weltanschauung!
(Why does this remind me of Young Frankenstein)
It speaks to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which
we interpret the world and interact in it.
But my husband is the philosopher, I am the...
whoa - that one stopped me in my tracks,
bet my kids could fill that in with something,
but I digress.
This 'framework' is what I like to call holy spirit spectacles.
Try this -
GODISNOWHERE
What is says depends entirely on how you look at it.
Nothing changes but your own reading of it.
Dictionnaire says "joie is sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience,
that is, an exhilarating sense felt by the conscience
that involves one's whole being."

What comes to mind when you think of joy in this way?
Not how Life brings you joy
but how you bring Joy to all of life?

Rise up in splendor! Your light has come.
Yes, upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory.
Raise your eyes and look about; then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart will thrill and overflow... Isaiah 60:1,4-5