Together, Joy.

Regarding Artemis II, San people (Bushmen), the Happiest Place on Earth, and the Kingdom of Heaven, written April 2026.

Like a whole bunch of other people, I keep marvelling at the people involved in the Artemis II mission.

From what we could observe, they look so healthy, so whole. There’s loads of commentary: on how the men seem emotionally healthy, the woman is physically and mentally healthy, they all get along beautifully, there is joy. There is some attribution to the God that is Love, to love being a force that goes anywhere and even defies death.

Watching the Artemis II mission was a balm for my ever-present discontent in this world. I hate feeling stuck in a modern pace, where mindsets of scarcity, greed, envy, pride, anger, and exhaustion of just trying to live abound. I’ve also always hated our society’s lack of a “village” vibe (especially when my kids were young), yet I get overwhelmed “doing life” with others. With tens of thousands of others I joined in one mission: watching a group of people pull off what no human or group of humans has yet accomplished. Team work made NASA's dream work.

Then Instagram reminded me of the San people of Southern Africa (aka the Bushmen) - a group of people with no money, no government, no modern ambition, who are reportedly the happiest people on the planet (and one of the oldest people groups on earth). The San people are unique in that they have no fixed hierarchy - the wise ones lead, they change roles, and no role is coveted or considered better than anyone else. There are mechanisms to keep people humble (e.g. teasing a hunter that their catch was sooo small when it wasn't)

Space-age and ancient. Moon joy. Bushman joy. The “most” ambitious (farthest human trip into space!), and the “least” ambitious (in terms of gaining for oneself or achieving upward mobility in any area) are known for their joy.

This makes me think of the Kingdom of Heaven. But why?

My family stood in line for hours at the “happiest place on earth” and I found it absurd that I felt so happy - we ALL felt so happy - and all we were doing was inching forward bit by bit in the sun on concrete. I pointed this out to my husband, who typically CANNOT stand in a line.

He said: “it’s engineered happiness - the music and the layout of the lines are designed to make it feel like we’re getting somewhere. But the biggest part is that we’re all getting somewhere TOGETHER. We’re all working toward the same goal - to enjoy the ride together. We’re all in it together.”

Jesus could’ve lone-wolfed it. But he didn’t. He had a diverse set of 12 guys and a few ladies that did everything with him for three years. And more beyond. They all served one another with what resources and talents they had. It's not like they were doing things all the time, either. Sometimes they were waiting, or just being, but together being discipled by Jesus to become more like Him and increasingly embodying His teachings.

Be it known that I think my husband is right. The Artemis II Mission, the Bushman lifestyle, and the Kingdom of Heaven emphasize “we’re all in it together” with shared resources and no one being greater than anyone else. Every person has a role toward the common flourishing. Some roles are more brainy, some are more physically skilled, some are more emotive or even mystical. Some just are pure joy by simply being part of the group without needing a “productive” or “contributing” purpose. Within the togetherness, and with a common core purpose, there is abundant unfettered joy.