This Year for Joy is a day book or bedside book. The daily readings are a potpourri of myths, poems meditations, and the occasional anecdote set within a contemporary Christian context. There are suggestions for activities and meditations for most days and each month clusters loosely around a theme, pegged by the old calendar of saints. Fantastic stories of old, forgotten saints are given a new twist and with a symbolic interpretation they become again inspiring messages for today. Our old traditions, truly from the realm of myth, come back to us in a new form for the enrichment of our spirit and for our sense of belonging.
The myths and legends of other faiths, however outlandish, can appear charming, inspirational and meaningful while the stories from the Christian past get debunked for “not being true”. There is an artificial expectation of the provably true imposed on our own heritage. In 1969 so many saints were deleted from the Christian calendar because their stories were ‘too fantastical’ or ‘obviously mythic’. By this ruling we risk losing connections with the mystical and poetic without which religion can become infinitely boring.
The stories and interpretations in this volume are an antidote to this stifling belief that only the historically provable is valid information in the modern world. This is a joyous celebration of way- out marvels, the glorious productions of the religious imagination which cannot be contained by the boundaries of narrow scientific nor doctrinal reasoning. Alongside the old tales are modern stories, poetry and inspirational tit-bits that cluster around the theme for each month. Each day offers something to delight, to inspire or to amuse; a timeless book to be read again and again, always finding something new and engaging.
Spirituality is real and meaningful to the extent that it actualises in life; in improved relationships with ourselves, to our loved ones, to those we find difficult, and in our concern for the wider world so the book is thoroughly practical in its approach. The transformative message of This Year for Joy is one of remaining resolutely positive in a world of negativity.
“Josephine Griffiths has the uncanny ability of delving into the wells of wisdom and gifts the reader with simple, life-changing truths”
