On a Brighter Note: Practicing Joy by Jamiya

"Joy is the simplest form of gratitude." – Karl Barth

I like how this quote captures exactly what the essence of Joy is, both the character and our emotion. Hi, this is Jamiya, and for me, joy is not just a passive feeling that we go through everyday. It is an active choice for us to create and share to others. My two greatest passions, playing music and painting, are the tools I use to do exactly that. They are how I turn my inner gratitude into something I can give back to the world.

My most used outlet to do that is playing the piano for my local church. People say that some connections just happen when music fills a room. When I play the piano, I am not just reading notes. I am helping to shape a shared experience between me, the audience, and whatever they may be going through. Like how a joyful rhythm can be able to lift anyone’s spirit, or how a peaceful melody can offer comfort during a quiet moment. Seeing how the music touches people, how it brings everyone together, keeps me playing the piano with an inspiration. It is the purest form of my “joy”.

When I am not making music, I like to paint. I love using both acrylics and watercolors. I often use my acrylic paintings for bold and confidently themed pieces. I use them for vibrant sunsets or colorful flowers, capturing feelings of excitement and confidence. My watercolor pieces are much softer. They are for the calm and peaceful joy, like the quiet beauty of a cold morning. Both styles help me slow down, appreciate the world around me, and translate my gratitude into something visual and lasting.

In the end, these hobbies are more than just what I do for my pastimes. They are my practice of joy. They remind me to look for beauty, to create generously, and to share the passion I have everyday. Through my music and art, I get to live and give my joy back to the world.