Ani DiFranco's entire career has been characterized by a relentless commitment to honesty and integrity. As Ani's career started to take off, she turned down all offers from major record labels and instead started her own. Her songwriting and vision are uncompromised. Joyful Girl captures and conveys her heartfelt struggle to stay true to herSelf and the joy that drives her creativity. She reminds listeners that the world owes us nothing, we owe each other the world. In end, the only judge that matters is ourSelf, and that when it comes to the congruency of our actions and values, the bathroom mirror does not budge.
Even if there is no grand plan, we can continue to get to know and understand our Self, and we can continue to deepen our sense of joy and gratitude by pursuing what matters. When we know our Self, and remain true to our Self, the inevitable judgment and criticism that comes from others rings hollow. Like many mainstream and expansive healing traditions emphasize, alignment of actions and values is a reliable recipe for sustainable inner peace and joy that persists through the deepest depths of despair. Thanks to Ani for a beautiful, poetic reminder that those who do things purely for the joy they bring tend to be well rewarded.