WHAT GIVES YOU JOY?

What Gives You Joy?

Exercise. No matter how tired I am, I must get in my daily exercise. It releases endorphins, eases tension, and gets me pumped. If I started off tired, I always end my session fully awake and recharged. 

Avigail Bloom

Spending time with my grandchildren. They are the elixir of life!  If I thought I loved my children to pieces, then I don’t even know how to describe the love I have for my grandchildren. They give me so much nachas and joy.  Hearing them laugh, seeing them smile, observing their interactions with others, and seeing them grow and mature is a joy that cannot be put into words. Every grandmother knows what I’m talking about. 

Bubby Rosenzweig from Boro Park

Getting out there and spending time with nature. We can’t realistically go for weekly hikes, but going for a short walk around the corner, sitting on the porch, or even just gazing out the window can elevate our mood since exposure to sunshine gives us a natural boost of serotonin, a hormone that promotes good mood. It’s cheaper and faster than therapy!

A.S.

Babies! Who can be in a bad mood while holding a baby? How about when they give you their gummy toothless wet smiles or wrap your fingers in their cute fists? I recently watched a documentary about a nursing home in Australia where mothers bring their babies once a week so the residents can hold and snuggle with them. They said it had a major impact in combatting senior depression.

Batya F.

Music. There is always music blasting in our house. Whether it’s while making dinner, doing homework, cleaning up, or even taking a shower, having music in the background makes us all in a good mood and leads to spontaneous dancing. 

Green Family

Learning Torah. There is a great line in the film Fiddler on the Roof that sums it all. In the scene where Tevye sings “If I Were a Rich Man,” the main character describes everything he would do if he suddenly became wealthy. He concludes with, “ I’d have the time that I lack to sit in the synagogue and pray/  And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall/  I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day / And that would be the sweetest thing of all.”  I always tear up when I hear that last stanza. That is my ultimate dream, too. When I retire, hopefully in about 10 years, I am most looking forward to having an abundance of free time for my learning. That gives me limitless joy. 

Yisroel Mendelbaum