Pursue the Infinite

Joy stems from pursuit of the infinite. I've discovered that this means pursuing activities that allow for infinite learning and exploration, where levels of difficulty can keep getting higher according to your personal pace and preferece - e.g. learning a foreign language, playing a musical instrument, writing books/journals/memoirs, deepening a relationship with someone.

Joy definitely does not stem from activities like shopping, watching TV, or waiting in line at the bank or post office. It would be tempting to categorize activities like sex, eating a good meal as joyful. I maintain that they are merely pleasurable - leaving you with only a temporary high that quickly fades.

Pleasure is a short-term feeling, just seconds, minutes or hours. Joy on the other hand is a long-lasting feeling of well-being. It can have you basking in a nice afterglow, for many weeks, months or years.

To see a world in grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.
- William Blake