Finding joy in a troubled world 

We cannot change what is beyond our control, but we can be grateful for our good fortune

Joy to the world the saviour reigns.

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

The opening notes of the hymn Joy to the world conjure up images of fairy lights, carol singers, stockings by the fire, and the other hallmarks of the Christmas celebrations. And yet, the hymn, written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, an English Congregational Minister, was never meant to be a Christmas carol. Apparently, the words do not refer to the birth of Christ, but rather to Christ’s second coming. But this is just an aside and not the reason I mention it here.                  

The hymn commands the listener to be joyful. To contemplate on the ‘glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love’. But the question I can’t help asking is this. How do we find and maintain joy in a world where so many people are suffering? A world where violence, poverty, and ecological devastation are widespread. A world where the intended 47th president of the US (a man elected by the people) is a convicted felon, who has also been found guilty of sexual abuse, and stands accused of sexual assault and harassment by over two dozen women.

To sing about hearts unfolding like flowers and opening to the sun creates a dissonance between the spirit and the reality of Christmas. So that even those of us who are not suffering anything more than the usual slings and arrows of fortune can find it difficult to tune into the peace and joy of the festive season.

Browsing through the shelves of a local bookshop I came across a book with the title, The Book of Joy – Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. Was this the answer to my troublesome ruminations, I wondered. I had read so many books on happiness and positivity, having completed an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology some years ago. I knew the benefits of gratitude, self-compassion, kindness, and living a life guided by values, filled with purpose and meaning. I knew the difference between the dopamine hit of a new pair of shoes and the lasting contentment of engaging in meaningful work or truly connecting with another human being. And yet, here I was still seeking that elusive something that would help me accept the suffering of the world without becoming overwhelmed. Here I was picking up another book that promised to guide me towards finding ‘lasting happiness’. I put it down and picked it up again. It was worth a try. An early Christmas present for myself. What had I to lose?

The book was indeed a gift (and I haven’t even finished it yet). The narrator, a journalist called Douglas Abrams, interviews two friends over the course of a week about how they embrace the reality of our turbulent world, denying nothing, and transcend the pain of knowing many others are suffering. Abrams weaves the two voices together alongside scientific evidence on finding joy. The friends came from different worlds, had led long lives and had witnessed many years of violence and both religious and racial oppression.

The book is a treasure trove of wisdom from two of the world’s most respected leaders, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The subsequent Netflix movie, Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times presents highlights from the week where we can see both men, who were well into their 80s and managing chronic disease at the time of filming (2021), displaying a genuine zest for life and the mischievousness of two eight-year-olds, despite deep concerns about our troubled world.

I started reading with some trepidation expecting instruction on early morning meditation, or solitary circular walks around the garden. But this was not the case. While it is impossible to distill the wisdom of these two joyful individuals into a few sentences, the three top tips that I have taken from their conversation so far are as follows:

▶ Cultivating the flexibility to reframe my perspective more positively. No matter how much suffering there is, there is also lots of joy and it is important to keep searching for this.

▶ The ability to experience gratitude. There is always something to be grateful for.

▶ Choosing to be kind and generous. Christmas is a time for giving. Generosity begets joy.

While these practices arise from spiritual teachings, they are corroborated by the scientific evidence on happiness. We cannot care about everything, but we can cultivate compassion for everyone, even those who we feel do not deserve it. We cannot change what is beyond our control, but we can be joyful and grateful for our good fortune.

Wishing all readers a joyful and peaceful Christmas.