Article Reflection No. 57 (7/1/2023)

(Submitted to The New York Times Summer Reading Contest, Week 4)

Article: "The Nature of Joy"

(Wix)

Reflection:

They say the key to making friends is finding a shared passion or commonality. But how difficult is it to bond with someone else in this age of political polarization, divisive social change, and sharp retaliation?

The Times article “The Nature of Joy” by Margaret Renkl connects wildlife in her yard to trepidations and hope, beautifully reminding readers that, despite differing origins and stories, everyone belongs and everyone can find happiness in the world. This article is an aged yet fresh message—aged in the sense that it is nothing new, and fresh in the sense that it was forgotten for too long. The power of life and new experiences cannot be diminished, especially with an ancient world whose roots stem from thousands and thousands of years ago. This shared connection of belonging, Renkl suggests, is the commonality between all individuals, from worms to robins to humans.

A few days ago, during an early run, I saw two birds chasing one another and filling the cool morning atmosphere with their chirps. After reading this article and upon reflection, I now wonder how we, three beings on Earth, are truly different. Yes, we speak different languages. Yes, we have different hobbies. But does that overpower the shared sense of belonging we all deserve to experience? Truly not.