Finding Joy on a Hot Summer Day
As I mentioned last week, I spent the 4th of July holiday playing at Disney World with two fun friends from New Mexico. I’ll be honest. When they first suggested that week, I was a little hesitant to say yes. In my experience, being in the parks during the first week of July is not only extremely hot but also extremely crowded.
When I performed in parades at the Magic Kingdom many years ago, the 4th of July was typically a day when the parks reached capacity and they stopped letting people in. As we danced down Main Street, USA, people were packed so tightly together that it truly seemed like there wasn’t room for one more human. For that reason, I usually avoid Disney on holidays.
However, plans had been set in motion, and with our busy summer schedules, this was the best time for my friends to visit. I decided to surrender and trust we would have a good time regardless of the crowds. It was really about spending quality time together and not about riding every ride.
I’m so glad I didn’t let my fear or past experience keep me from joining my friends. We had such a great time both inside and outside the parks! And to my utter surprise, the crowds were remarkably sparse and the wait times were not that long.
On July 3, our first morning at Epcot, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in France was temporarily closed when we arrived at 9 AM. That line gets longer as the day goes on, so we decided to head toward that side of the park anyway and trust it would reopen soon. Sure enough, by the time we made our way around World Showcase Lagoon, it had just reopened! Because it had been down, there weren’t many people in line yet. We waited less than 15 minutes to be “shrunk down” to mouse size with Remy. What a great way to start our Disney adventure!
On the 4th of July, the day I inaccurately predicted to be the busiest, we arrived at the Disney Hollywood Studios when the park opened at 9 AM and made a beeline for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. It’s one of the most innovative and immersive attractions Disney Imagineers have ever created, and therefore one of the most popular. In the past, guests had to jump through technological hoops on the app at 7 AM and still wait for hours to get on that ride. Not us. We walked right on! I guess you could say that “The Force” was with us!
All kidding aside, I do think there was a force at work that day, and throughout our vacation, perhaps similar to the one talked about in the popular science fiction franchise. It was the force of love and joy that connects us all. Each day, before entering the parks, the 3 of us held hands and took a moment to set an intention and say a prayer.
Our intention was to be the presence of peace, love, and joy wherever we went. And when we experienced joy, to extend that joyful energy out to the collective consciousness and across the globe wherever it was needed. I imagine it like a radio station sending out music through the airwaves in all directions. The intention is very similar to the fireworks visualization I shared last week. (Click here to read about that if you missed it.)
It may sound silly or “woo woo,” but I always feel better when I set that intention. And I can honestly say things do seem to flow better since I started this practice over 20 years ago. Many different spiritual teachings concur that the Universe responds in miraculous ways when our desires are in alignment with the greater good and not just for ourselves.
So many times during our Disney trip, we arrived at an attraction or a show just as it was about to begin. Even when we had to wait a little bit, it was nice to rest a while and cool off in an air-conditioned lobby.
One striking example occurred at Disney’s Animal Kingdom when we were waiting for the 11 o’clock performance of Festival of the Lion King. I asked the cast member at the door what he thought our chances were of getting into that show based on our place in line. His response…“Not good.” We couldn’t believe our luck when they cut the line directly behind us making us the last 3 guests to enter the theater. But then again, that kind of luck was becoming usual.
That’s not to say everything fell into place exactly as we had hoped. Of course, we missed a few things and hit some obstacles, but we never let it discourage us. Like a GPS, we simply adjusted our course and moved on to something else that would bring us joy.
Speaking of joy, one of the highlights of our trip was meeting Joy from Pixar’s Inside Out and Inside Out 2. I loved the first film, but I haven’t seen the sequel yet. If the box office records that it’s setting are any indication, I think I will love the second one as much as the first.
Inside Out was a funny, clever, and thought-provoking movie that gave us a glimpse into the inner workings of a teenage girl’s mind. We saw how different emotions like Joy, Sadness, and Anger colored her many life experiences. Since Joy was our guiding force for this trip, not to mention one of our favorite Pixar characters, we had to stop and get a photo with her!
I loved the opportunity to embrace Joy and tell her that I take her with me everywhere I go. For those who have experienced Family Constellations, you will understand why that felt significant and why I was so happy to get that photo as a reminder.
Obviously, you don’t need to be at a theme park or on vacation to practice this. It works well in everyday life, too. When I set the intention to be the presence of peace, love, and joy wherever I go, and extend those energies out to the world, not only do I feel better, but things flow better. Don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself and see what happens. You may find yourself experiencing more miracles than you thought possible. And when bumps in the road occur, and they always do, you will be much more prepared to navigate them.
If you would like some assistance with this, please consider giving yourself the gift of a series of Spiritual Coaching Sessions or a private Family Constellations Session. Both can help you see things from a new perspective allowing more joy to flow into your life. Pleae look around my website for more information and to book a session. I look forward to creating joy with you!
Until next time, may you seize every opportunity to embrace JOY!
You can no more pray for yourself alone than you can find joy for yourself alone.
A Course in Miracles ~ T-9.II.6:1