Love, Joy, Peace, and Happiness

If you’ve been paying attention to what I’ve been trying to express often this past year, and if I truly think about it, throughout my entire life, I have had a heavy focus on love, joy, peace, and happiness.

Today, during meditation, I got to really think deeper about those words and how they also relate to the elements of earth, air, water, and fire.

You see, I think of love as our foundation for everything. We need self-love, human connection, humanity connection, and love is the foundational structure for all of this. Many have said that there is no love without self-love. You must first love yourself before you can love another. This is paramount. Love is our foundation, and the earth element greatly exemplifies stability and foundation.

Then there is joy. Joy is contentment, well-being, life force, gratitude, and connection with spirit. (Whatever spirit you choose to connect with). Joy is an internal space. It cannot be defined or placed into a box. It is free to spread or overflow within. It doesn’t have the structure. Granted, I know that these words are feelings and intangible, but the word joy does not reflect what is happening in the world around us. It makes no connection to the physical or material world. It is something far more personal. Much like the element of air. Joy cannot be pinned down. Joy is blissful and floaty.

Now let’s discuss peace. Peace allows things to happen. Much like joy, it is not concerned with the outward extension. Peace is being open to possibilities and knowing when to stop and just be. It’s knowing when to listen rather than speaking all the time. Peace is the peacekeeper, the one who may be caught in the middle of the tides but is able to float as needed. Peace is definitely the water element. 

Happiness is fleeting and comes and goes quickly. Much like the fire element. Happiness depends on the circumstances that are happening. Notice the words happiness and happening. It’s no coincidence that they begin the same way. The fire element is fleeting, too. Great transformation happens with fire. It can be passion and lust. Often lovers have a flame for one another that fades or changes, but even if there is still a spark, the two can start again.

The earth, air, water, and fire are needed for all of us. And love, joy, peace, and happiness are a big part of my message, and when I truly think about it, they are part of all our messages. Because without love, joy, peace, and happiness, there is no YOU!