“I put my money on joy and I’m so glad that I did”

“I put my money on joy and I’m so glad that I did.” 

Uttered by Oliva on the Biggest Loser this week, just one week before finale week. She looks amazing. But even more importantly? The joy is welling up inside of her. Her eyes sparkle. She truly has banked on joy and come out a winner.

And it’s a feeling I think we should all feel – if not every single day (because let’s be honest, we all have bad days), almost every single day. Joy is the one thing that nobody should steal from you. It’s yours to share, to embrace, to hold close to your heart.

That sense of joyfulness is especially close to my heart today – on the two year anniversary since my Nonna’s passing. She meant the world to my sister’s and I – and we meant the world to her as her first grandchildren, and triplets at that. One thing she always reminded us was to be happy, to live joyfully, to be good to eachother, to embrace life and all that’s offered to us.

I was thinking of her this morning as Scott and I ran our familiar loop around our neighborhood before work. And, just as I was remembering her so dearly, the bells started chiming at the chapel around the corner from where we were. Now – I realize that it was chiming because it was the 6:00 hour by then, but I can’t help but think it was also Nonna’s way of saying “I’m here – I’m still watching over you, I love you.” 

And even though I sit here typing this, with tears in my eyes, they are tears of joy because my sisters and I were lucky enough to have her around for as long as we did. And we still have two wonderful and healthy grandparents on my mom’s side that we cherish so very dearly. They’ve instilled good, strong values in all three of us. Values like faith, and perseverance and confidence and strength and family.

So today, as I remember my Nonna, I ask you to do just one thing: Put your money on joy – both today and everyday.