69 Comments
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Angela's avatar

Yesterday I read your article “Some parts of you only emerge…..and I read it again this afternoon and again this evening. I was deeply moved by both your writing and insights. Today I find this piece on our shy clutch onto joy. Who are you? Please continue. The world needs to hear your words. They are a balm for these times.

Grateful - Angela

maja's avatar

This is so beautiful and kind, thank you for saying this, Angela! I am so grateful to have you here reading. Your encouragement means a lot to me, I will keep writing 🤍

AsmaEsmeralda AbdAllahAlvarez's avatar

Beautiful writing! I really en-joyed this! Thank you Maja!💐

maja's avatar

thank you for reading and commenting AsmaEsmeralda, it means a lot! I’m so glad you enjoyed :)

Henry Wong's avatar

the title was all it took for me to hit the like button

maja's avatar

thank you for reading and supporting 🤍:’)

Tessa Cowley-Court's avatar

Oh! We are drinking from the same tap of something that is floating out in the universe. I just wrote about this the other day in an article about love and grief, and have to admit to myself you have done a better job of it here. I call it bittersweetness and I feel it is hidden in everything. The analogy you used of looking into a light that’s too bright is exactly it! Thank you for helping me feel that sweet ping of resonance.

Reminds me of this excerpt from the Jack Gilbert poem A Brief for the Defense;

“If we deny our happiness, resist our satisfaction,

we lessen the importance of their deprivation.

We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,

but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have

the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless

furnace of this world. To make injustice the only

measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.“

maja's avatar

thank you for sharing that poem, I've never heard of it before but it's so fitting! appreciate your comment and how cool that this idea is floating for both of us <3

Maureen Whitman's avatar

Some people are hard wired into the ether and have the ability to channel important and beautiful things through. You are one of them. ❤️

maja's avatar

So generous and kind, thank you for reading and saying that! Your support means a lot 🤍

Libra's avatar

"Perhaps joy was never meant to stay. Perhaps it exists to show us the texture of aliveness, to remind us of what it feels like to be porous to the world." - thought provoking, inspiring. I just thought what if we need despair to understand joy, and we need joy to understand despair. what if if we were missing one ---- we could never feel, we could not appreciate , we could not see...we could not understand.. Thanks for sharing this beautiful deep reflection.

Libra's avatar

I Love this. "Choosing joy isn’t a betrayal of suffering, but a refusal to let suffering be the whole picture, a pulse that carries us toward beauty, intimacy, even justice."

Libra's avatar

I Love this , although when we are in grief it's so hard to see it... "Joy doesn’t need to erase suffering. It can sit beside it, like a second sun in the same sky. One sears, one warms. Grief alone makes the world flat; joy alone makes it false. Held together, they let you see in full colour: broken and radiant, devastating and precious."

Tyrique Pillay's avatar

An amazing piece that might I add gave me sense of gratitude for today. Thanks 🫧✨

maja's avatar

wonderful, yay! thank you for reading <3

Ansuman Patnaik's avatar

Whenever I come across an intense scene (something wholesome or a long awaited payoff) in a movie/show I feel deeply uncomfortable and immediately hit pause so I can doomscroll social media to make it go away. Your essay perfectly describes the way I've felt since I was a kid :) Thank You for sharing!!!

maja's avatar

sounds like exactly that phenomena at work, Joy can be deeply uncomfortable to confront indeed. thank you for reading and commenting! 🤍

Nicc's avatar
Aug 21Edited

Love you ♥️ Transmitting the vibrations to the children!! Last week I had the privilege of going to Kauai. The land felt so powerful and healing and I was reminded the infinite wisdom our mother has 🌺

maja's avatar

How wonderful, what a beautiful place! Thank you for reading and commenting, sending love 🤍

Agalia's avatar

Your writing is poetry <3 I also came from reading your article "some parts of you only emerge for certain people", and I love your take on feelings

Jiya ☁️'s avatar

Maja, these are just stunning pieces of writing. I cannot express how beautifully you’ve put so many of my feelings down to paper. Thank you ♥️

maja's avatar

Thank you so much Jiya, I’m so grateful and glad you enjoyed! 🤍

Modem Madhulika's avatar

One of the loveliest musings I read recently. Thank you, love. 🥰

Sophie Callewaert's avatar

This moves me so. Thank you for your beautiful words.

Libra's avatar

Thanks . Your writing helps others feel and see , understand, appreciate.