When Unexpected Joy Comes Trotting Along

Yesterday, I stepped away from working at my computer—and somehow found the unexpected joy of leading a four-goat walking club.

Stepping away from work is difficult for me when I get into hyperfocus, but stepping away intentionally is more of a challenge.

There is a difference.

 

Intentional Rest is Different from Distraction

Yesterday was different. I made a conscious choice to pause.

There was still plenty to do. There is always something else to finish, answer, plan, or improve. As a mom, I’ve spent much of my life carrying more than what is mine to carry.

There is the work itself, but there is also the invisible work of remembering, anticipating, planning, and wondering how everyone else I care for is doing along the way. There is always someone to think about, something to handle, or one more task that feels important. My brain stays way too full, and if I’m honest, I’m too easily drawn to a mindless distraction to alleviate the pressure.

But the sunshine was calling, and I knew I needed fresh air and movement more than I needed another hour in front of a screen. So, I deliberately stepped away and went outside for a walk.

I expected a quiet break.

What I did not expect was an entourage when four of my neighbors’ goats decided to join me.

Choosing to Embrace Joy

There I was, still stuck in my head thinking about all the things, when these unexpected companions came trotting along beside me as if this had been our plan all along. Every so often, one of them would come up beside me and give me a little nudge, almost as if encouraging me to continue.

Keep going. You’ve got this. We’re with you.

Sure, they were probably just hoping I had snacks. But in that moment, their gentle persistence was a reminder that encouragement can arrive through the most unexpected companions.

The sheer absurdity of it all caught me off guard. I called my husband and tried to tell him to look out the window as I approached our home, but I was laughing so hard I could barely speak.

“Look out the window!” was about all I could manage.

For a few wonderful moments, I was not managing a project, solving a problem, checking on someone I love, or thinking three steps ahead. There was only sunshine, fresh air, four goats nudging me up the road, and laughter I could not contain.

Sometimes joy arrives that way.

Finding Unexpected Joy in Everyday Moments

Joy doesn’t always come through a major accomplishment, an answered prayer, or a long-awaited celebration.

Sometimes it wanders into an ordinary afternoon on sixteen little hooves.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.”
—Psalm 126:2

Many of us treat joy as something we must earn. Oh, we’ll rest when the work is done. We’ll do something enjoyable once everyone else is taken care of. We’ll breathe deeply after we answer one more email, complete one more chore, or solve one more problem.

We become practiced at putting joy on hold. We tell ourselves that caring well for our loved ones means remaining constantly productive, responsible, and available.

But our work is rarely finished, and the people we love will never stop mattering to us.

If we wait until every task is completed, every problem is solved, and every person around us is okay before allowing ourselves to experience joy, we may miss many of the small gifts God places along our path.

Joy isn’t a distraction from what matters. It’s not a denial of difficulties, nor does it mean we have stopped caring or become irresponsible. Sometimes joy is precisely what restores our soul so we can return to what matters with a lighter heart.

Unexpected Joy Helps Us Persevere

Perhaps perseverance doesn’t always mean gritting our teeth and forcing ourselves forward without stopping. Sometimes persevering means recognizing when our spirits need rest, receiving the encouragement God sends, and then taking the next step.

The unexpected conditions of my walk didn’t remove anything from my to-do list. When I returned, the work was still there.

But I returned differently.

My mind was clearer, my body had moved, and my spirit had been refreshed by the laughter of a moment I never could have scheduled.

Perhaps God gave us laughter to loosen the grip of whatever is weighing us down and create a little more room for hope.

Unexpected and sacred joy.

After years of defining ourselves by what we accomplish and how well we care for others, receiving joy can become a way of remembering who we are. We are not only workers, caregivers, wives, mothers, husbands, fathers, leaders, or problem-solvers. We are beloved children of God, created with the capacity for delight.

Making Room for Joy in Everyday Life

We don’t always need to plan something special to feel renewed. Sometimes, we simply need to step away intentionally and notice what is already waiting for us: sunshine on our faces, fresh air in our lungs, the people we love—and, occasionally, four goats who are more than happy to nudge us forward along the journey.

What might you notice if you intentionally stepped away for a few minutes today?

You may not find goats waiting for you. But you might discover that joy—and the encouragement to keep going—has been nearby all along, patiently waiting for you to look up.

And if joy does happen to come trotting toward you, I hope you let it join you in the journey.

Better yet, I hope you laugh until you can barely speak.