If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,/ don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty/ of lives and whole towns destroyed or about/ to be. We are not wise, and not very often/ kind. And much can never be redeemed./ Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this/ is its way of fighting back, that sometimes/ something happens better than all the riches/ or power in the world. It could be anything,/ but very likely you notice it in the instant/ when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the/ case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid/ of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.

Mary Oliver

“Joy is not made to be a crumb.” Joy is the whole chocolate chip cookie. Joy is wisdom, plenty, redemption, kindness, and possibility. Joy is the instant when love begins. Seek it like shelter in a storm. Sail it like a yacht on an ocean. Wield it like a magic talisman for good. Protect it like a new born baby. Cherish it like a precious jewel. Build it like a monument to love.

The “Don’t Hesitate” part of Oliver’s instruction is critical. A joyless life can result from the fireworks and earthquakes of trauma and trouble. Sure. But sometimes, a joyless life simply results from forgetting. Forgetting to take time. Forgetting to clarify our intentions. Forgetting to prioritize what truly matters. Forgetting to hope in a world of despair. It is insipid ooze that poisons the everyday and brings hesitation. As Oliver reminds us, “Don’t Hesitate.” Eat the whole chocolate chip. Go big. Live large.