Count it all as JOY

"Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play.

And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)

Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break

And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)" - "Shake it Off" by Taylor Swift

When I first embarked on this little journey of writing a newsletter, I had no grand expectations about where it might lead. I simply wanted to share my thoughts, and in return, you—the community—have shared so many of your own stories with me. Whether through comments or one-on-one conversations, your openness has been deeply rewarding and far beyond anything I could have imagined.

Each of you has become a source of inspiration, and with every story shared, my cup overflows with gratitude. I am learning so much from you, and for that, I am both grateful and humbled.

Recently, one of our community members shared a heart-wrenching story about her beloved dog being attacked at a local dog park. The injury was severe enough to require emergency surgery to repair his eye. As a fellow dog lover and the proud parent of my own fur baby, Samantha, my heart ached as I listened to her recount the ordeal.

We reconnected again over a phone call, and I was relieved to hear that her dog had made a full recovery and was back to his playful, spirited self. Naturally, I asked how she was doing, knowing how challenging the past few weeks must have been. Having faced a few health scares with Samantha myself, I know all too well the stress and fear these moments can bring.

What she shared next truly struck a chord with me. She said that while her dog slept most of the day after the surgery, by the very next day, he was back to his usual self—barking, eating, and eager to play. She watched him in awe, realizing that he had simply "moved on" from the trauma. It dawned on her that animals, in their beautiful simplicity, are incredibly resilient. They face adversity, deal with it, and then continue living their lives with unshakeable joy. She decided to take a page from her dog’s book: to let go of what happened and to embrace fully the blessings that each new day brings.

Imagine if we, as humans, could adopt this mindset?

We’ve all faced challenges—whether it's the loss of a job, an illness, the passing of a loved one, or some other hardship. I’ve been through my share of trials and, if I’m being honest, I didn’t always handle them with grace. I may have moved forward eventually, but not without dragging along the heavy luggage of hurt, sadness, and blame into every new situation. I was stuck in past grievances, unable to learn from my missteps, and, as a result, I was living an incomplete life. My Baba used to say, “When you get good and tired of walking in the wrong direction, you will turn around. You just aren’t tired yet.”

Now, I choose to "Count It All as Joy." Like our resilient fur babies, who shake off misfortunes and keep moving forward, I strive to do the same. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But we all know that unlearning deeply ingrained behavior is far from easy. As writer R.J. Heller wisely put it, "Change is measured, one step, one inch, one second at a time.”

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” - James 1:2-3

Go forth and be the way. I am rooting for you, always.

Musically yours,

Amani D.

P.S. Let’s meet up at The North.