Light in Delight Like Denude

Delight.

Noun. “There was great delight in the child’s eyes when she saw the prettily wrapped package underneath the Christmas tree.”

Adjective. “This meal was simply delightful!”

Verb. “I delight in knowing you.”

But how about “causing light” for a definition?

Delight. It’s a simple, safe word. Not overly expressive, but with a positive connotation of pleasure and approval.

But could it be something more?

Someone recently pointed out to me that “light” appears in “delight.” But how is that light shared or conveyed in our delight?

There is a much less common word that is similarly used: denude. It means to strip bare or deprive. Often in reference to a forest. De-nude…to make nude.

That got me thinking: what about de-light? Can it mean to illuminate, to give brightness, to make light?

The emotion of delight gives us an opportunity to impact those around us. In our own feelings of joy and pleasure, we have the chance to seed, enhance, and nurture the feelings of others. Joy is often said to be infectious, as is laughter.

What of delight? Might the “light” that we are feeling be imparted to others? Might our own expressions of approval and valuation be an impetus to others?

I think it can be.

But we often hold delight for ourselves; we are simply delighted, content to feel and acknowledge our delight–without regard to how we may also help birth delight in others.

A man once said, “I write so that my joy may be made complete.” In sharing our delight, it becomes more full…but it also has the possibility of creating joy and delight in others. Delight can be infectious, if we invite others in, if we are free in the expression of our own experience of delight.

 

Joy Stealers

It saddens me.

All too often, after some extraordinary experience or event, a degree of tragedy seems to follow just after, daring to undercut the joy from something that was delightful, life-changing, impactful.

I was on the road recently for just over three weeks, privileged to participate in a number of events intended to encourage people who are living in some hard circumstances.

Two days after returning, I have had a fever (topping out at 101.6 so far). There were great experiences while on the road, and I was looking forward to being at home again. But I find myself sick, achy, unable to fully enjoy or reflect on the times I just had or the reality of returning home.

But I’m getting off easy compared to some.

A good friend was struck by significant back pain, causing her to be bed-ridden for the last two days of a conference and putting a damper on her upcoming holiday.

Another friend of mine enjoyed a training event, vacation, and the conference…only to learn during a layover on her way home that her father suffered from bleeding on the brain. She made it home in time to see him in a coma, and to say her final farewells before he passed away.

For each of us there was the opportunity to enjoy a “mountain top” experience as it were–only to then be hit hard by various avalanches. These occurrences are so regular in my observation that I’ve labeled them: joy stealers.

It is a reminder that we live in an imperfect world inhabited by an Adversary. When we might find joy in our togetherness, in learning, in taking a break, some attempt is made to steal it all away, to erase the experience, the memory.  It can be so difficult to hold on when struggles and hurts move in to overshadow it all.

It could make me angry–to a degree, it does. I try to prepare, to be on my guard, and to stand guard for others. But the Enemy is insidious. He doesn’t pull any punches. He doesn’t fight fair.

And we must fight back. I’m planning to spend some time today–despite my illness and fever–reflecting back over the last few weeks, rehearsing the things to be thankful for, the exciting experiences. And I am glad to have some meetings during the upcoming week where reporting back on my travels will be a featured topic. When joy stealers come, we must fight–exert ourselves–in order to take the joy back.

We cannot undo what has been done. One of my friends missed some experiences while lying on her back. The other has lost her father forever. Nevertheless, we can press on, press in, grabbing hold of what we have been given and standing strong against the joy stealers.