Rethinking my 2011 Word and More Ordinary Joy

I'm wondering if Ordinary Joy is going to be my phrase for 2011...it is resonating with me...I'm seeing it, feeling it all around me. Earlier in the day, I had a hard time thinking of a list...now I am seeing all kinds of things, feeling them. Tears, chills, love bursting from my heart for a song, for a person I've never met...  all of this constitutes joy, doesn't it? I think so...

On the Kennedy Center Honors tonight, Oprah Winfrey was honored. I was moved to see her story, to see pictures of her grandmother, to see her beginnings as Miss Fire Prevention, to hear the funny stories, to see Sidney Poitier getting older (as we all do). Then, Jennifer Hudson came on and sang "I'm Here" from Oprah's musical "The Color Purple".  Not only is the performance stunning, as Jennifer Hudson always is, but the lyrics moved me to tears. A world view, a knowing that is deep and truthful and yearning for believers. I believe.


Lyrics: (they print musical lyrics in all caps in the scripts...)
I DON'T NEED YOU TO LOVE ME,
I DON'T NEED YOU TO LOVE.
I GOT . . .
I GOT . . .
I GOT MY SISTER.
I CAN FEEL HER NOW,
SHE MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT SHE STILL MINE.
I KNOW SHE STILL LOVE ME.
GOT MY CHILDREN.
I CAN'T HOLD THEM NOW,
THEY MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT THEY STILL MINE.
I HOPE THEY KNOW I STILL LOVE THEM.
GOT MY HOUSE.
IT STILL KEEP THE COLD OUT.
GOT MY CHAIR
WHEN MY BODY CAN'T HOLD OUT.
GOT MY HANDS
DOIN' GOOD LIKE THEY S'POSE TO,
SHOWIN' MY HEART
TO THE FOLKS THAT I'M CLOSE TO.
GOT MY EYES.
THOUGH THEY DON'T SEE AS FAR NOW,
THEY SEE MORE 'BOUT HOW THINGS
REALLY ARE NOW . . .
I'M GONNA TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
GONNA HOLD MY HEAD UP.
GONNA PUT MY SHOULDERS BACK,
AND LOOK YOU STRAIGHT IN THE EYE.
I'M GONNA FLIRT WITH SOMEBODY
WHEN THEY WALK BY.
I'M GONNA SING OUT . . .
SING OUT.
I BELIEVE I HAVE INSIDE OF ME
EVERYTHING THAT I NEED TO LIVE A BOUNTIFUL LIFE.
WITH ALL THE LOVE ALIVE IN ME
I'LL STAND AS TALL AS THE TALLEST TREE.
AND I'M
THANKFUL FOR EVERYDAY THAT I'M GIVEN,
BOTH THE EASY AND HARD ONES I'M LIVIN'.
BUT MOST OF ALL
I'M THANKFUL FOR
LOVING WHO I REALLY AM.
I'M BEAUTIFUL.
YES, I'M BEAUTIFUL,
AND I'M HERE.

[Source of information - www.angelrecords.com/colorpurple/lyrics.pdf]