joy and fun

Recently I've been thinking about the difference between joy and fun--not only because it's finally spring and I'm ready to have FUN but also because I do need to finish the big quilt--I have to sew the Velcro on to hang it. Boring--but it does make a nice presentation. Then clean it up --check for odd threads, the once over. And that's also not fun--just picky (sorry for that pun.)

Sure I baste the Velcro onto strips of fabric before sewing them onto the quilt--but it's hand sewing--and a lot of it. UGH!!! And I've already done a lot of hand sewing finishing the back of the quilt. Do I complain too much? When I finish, I'll have an empty design board--a bit scary. So that's why it's not done yet. Today though it won't be fun.

Now I'm not thinking of the fun that we all need. Niche on their Facebook page recently reminded us  that we all need to have real fun every day--smell the roses, live each day like it's your last. Choose your cliche--I couldn't agree more. (Do check out their post. http://www.facebook.com/#!/NICHEmag?ref=nf)

Indeed the least productive person I know claims she works from 8 in the morning to 10 at night--no wonder she never has enough time. She is always harried--no time for fun. Not me--I'm a 9 to 5 type of gal. I like my fun too.

So let me explain a bit about the difference between joy and fun. I think of my dad--a farmer. I'm sure plowing the fields day after day was not fun. I tried it. Indeed I tried to make it "fun" by steering off to the side and then pulling back. I was young then. Needless to say, he didn't think this was fun--or funny. For him there was joy in seeing the corn in true straight lines. The subtle differences in the fields. The completion of the harvest. And yes, he did have real fun-- taking my sister and me fishing on the river--ugly catfish that tasted of the river bottom--but what a day.

So today I'll crank up the radio--hopefully Diane Rehm will have an interesting guest or two--and get the quilt done--now that'll be true joy.  Showing a complete body of work--true joy. Knowing that I can now make another new quilt--joy. And tonight--after work I'll weed my day lilies while my tuxedo cat watches oh so patiently. True fun. And later the joy of blooms.

So what do you think--do you deal with the difference between joy and fun? What is joy for you?