Welcome to our continuing series: 2019 The Year of Joy.
This month Karyn and I will be talking about Happiness in the Mourning.
Once again, as has been with each interview, we each have experienced our own reflections, insights, memories, challenges and more that each topic has so naturally brought to light in our lives, hearts and minds.
Happiness can be elusive. Happiness can be exquisite. Happiness means something different to each and every one. Happiness can bring on many other emotions at the same time as it is felt. Happiness can be experienced in any part of our lives, work, religions, spiritual preferences, as parents, as children, in our relationships and the list goes on. To some, happiness is a large percentage of who we are and how we live; to others, happiness has never been felt, experienced or understood. Happiness can also be sad, for those who can relate to that statement. Happiness can be simply euphoric and it can be diverse and complex. Let us begin this interview to see, learn and experience Happiness in the Mourning with my dear guest, once again, Karyn Lynn Grant, LMT, singer, songwriter, bestselling author and founder of Joy Coaching America/Worldwide and Joy Coaching Academy.
Karyn: Thank you for that, Carol. I’d like to jump right in and touch upon some of what you just shared if that is ok?
Carol: Absolutely Karyn.
Karyn: This was not an easy subject! Not as easy as I thought it would be! It seems each time we focus on a topic, we both get “tried” on that very subject! It’s almost like there is something in the universe that says, “Oh, so you want to define happiness do you? Let’s give you a pop quiz this entire month on that subject and see if you can ‘be happy’ under adverse conditions! This month was a real challenge to “Stay Calm! And Carry On!” in light of every area of both of our lives being tested with one “Pop Quiz” after another!
Now… yes, happiness is an elusive thing. What makes each one of us happy is so very different. We each have our own idea of what we thought our “Happily Every After” would be or look like. (Laughing)
Carol: Oh, Karyn. I have one very special love that would classify as my “happily ever after” or what I have often referred to as “the storybook romance of my life.” One that I still feel that way about, in my memories. There have been many years now that we’ve been apart from one another as much of life, fate or … has occurred never let that fully materialize. It, in itself, has many of the facets of happiness I mentioned earlier, for sure.
Karyn, what do you think or did you feel your happily ever after would look like, be or are you now experiencing it?
Karyn: As a little girl, my picture of what would make me happy was very different than what my life has evolved into. I dreamed, as a little girl, of growing up to be a “mommy” and a “wife” with one set of children. I didn’t ever dream of a career in my little girl stick figure drawings.
As a young girl, when I began writing songs and keeping an avid journal of my thoughts and feelings, that was what truly made me happy. Each song was a beautiful accomplishment to me as a teen. I never imagined singing my songs for others, never dreamed of becoming a professional singer, author, career woman. My happiness was completely centered in on doing those things that brought me a sense of peace, love and joy —- joys that were unlike most teenagers’ choices of happy-nesses. While other kids were out partying, I was playing my guitar and writing songs for Jesus. That’s truly what made me happy!
Carol: Young, writing, knowing that sense and purpose is quite amazing Karyn. Some never know their purpose or who and what would make them happy. I’m so curious to know when or how you knew or what directed you to write songs for Jesus. What was the inspiration or inner gut feeling or knowing?
Karyn: When I was fourteen, I realized that I needed to know for myself if there is indeed, a God. It wasn’t enough for me to know that my parents believed. I needed and wanted to know for myself if there truly is a God that hears and answers prayers. Not being willing to live on ‘borrowed light’ from their testimonies, I decided to create a day of prayer, determined I would not get up off my knees until I had my own witness. Later, that evening, after experiencing the sweetest answer to that prayer, I came away with a desire to write a song for Jesus. I held my guitar in my arms and bowed my head and promised God, “I will never write a song for the world to hear….I will only write my prayer-songs for You.” Since that day, February 15th, 1974, I have written over 1000 songs for Jesus. It’s been the joy of writing and singing “Songs for Jesus” that has given me the assurance that this is my mission upon the earth…to write and sing songs that will comfort the heart-broken.
Carol: That was beautifully and wonderfully shared Karyn. Thank you and you truly have made it your mission.
Karyn: I believe that each one of us finds our own “pursuit of happiness.” We can each discover, for ourselves, that God gives each of us a “gift” that is hidden deep down inside ourselves. As our lives evolve, we can sometimes forget what brought us happiness as a child. Simple things like enjoying nature, taking walks in the rain, exploring the beauties of the earth, discovering a new interest which unfolds from a hobby to a passion.
