How about that! I found joy in an Italian restaurant! And I’m gluten intolerant! How does that happen? Well, let me share my experience with you.

I decided to try this little “hole in the wall” restaurant in the back corner of a shopping center not really knowing what to expect. When I entered, I felt transported to Italy! Now, I have never been to Italy, even though I am Italian (on both sides, as they say). But I felt Italy in this small restaurant! There was Italian opera music playing over the speakers, there was a beautiful wall painting that made me feel as if I was on a beautiful, flower lined street in an Italian village, and the view out of the window by my table was of hanging green plants over a gazebo style patio with the sun shining through them.

I started feeling myself shifting into the energy of joy. I ordered my drink which arrived promptly, and it tasted divine! More joy. My appetizer arrived and tasted so good I was transported to heaven! Now I am completely in the flow of joy! My dinner and dessert followed in the same way – continued joy! I found myself experiencing thoughts and memories that, along with the shifting music, brought the flow of tears to my eyes. I felt completely in the flow of joy!

And I found that my sense of joy continued after I left the restaurant (with a wonderfully full belly) and into my evening, and through to the next morning. In the days following my joyful dinner, I found myself doing more things that brought me joy! Because joy begets joy. Abundance beget abundance. Love begets love. That’s how it goes with universal forces.

I was reminded that joy is a universal force and like all universal forces, it flows. And in order to experience joy, I needed to tap into that flow. My experience of this little Italian restaurant made it easy for me to tap into joy. And also, to remember that I can tap into the universal flow of joy whenever I want. My experience of joy is not dependent on my circumstances or my surroundings, but simply of an awareness that this force exists and a desire to tap into it and then allowing it to flow through me and my experience of life.

In order for us to experience the energy of universal forces like joy, love and abundance, we need only to tap into the flow. We can never “hold on” to these things. They are flowing. If the energy is not allowed to flow within us, we don’t have it!

So go find your “Italian Restaurant” and get in the flow of joy!!