So many times I have let the shoulds and have-tos take over my life, so that there has been no time left for the it-will-make-my-heart-soar-with-joys. Luckily, there is a huge part of me that recognizes that this lifelong habit is out of balance, so I consciously seek and become aware of individuals and circumstances that will remind me to once again follow my hearts bliss, such as Melissa Dinwiddie and her Thriving Artists project.
My last entry on here was last April. It was around that time I started working at our local raw food restaurant – The Green Boheme, which I dearly love. I wasn’t just working there for many hours each week, I continued my graphic design and art businesses as well. I never knew candles had that many ends! Even though it was the beginning of another joyous joyourney, my time became even more premium and I pretty much stopped all of my personal blogging (except, of course, The Daily Napkin, although even that slowed down for a couple weeks).
Today, I got an email from an inspirational acquaintance of mine, Barbara Lopez. I followed links in her newsletter, and ended up discovering her Daily Joy blog, as in DAILY for well over a year. She says in her introduction:
“In January 2010 I set a resolution that I’d find joy in every single day. In the small, and not so small things. But how do I know I’m doing that? By blogging it. It was such a fun and worthy project that I’ve decided to do it in 2011. Hooray for joy!”
Okay, I’m inspired. I rededicate myself to acknowledging my Joy in Life. I do some creative (preferably art) project every day, I allow Spirit’s inspiration to write the Daily Napkin just about everyday my husband goes to work, and I will share my joy here. YES! Life is good. Life is JOY FULL.
(NOTE: It is now December 24, and I have not kept up this intended project. Aw, well! I HAVE been experiencing great joy!)
When I was in the 3rd grade we moved to Canyon, a small place with only 30 houses and a 2 room school house in the Redwoods. I have always felt this was home, home of my childhood. Recently, CBS did a “Road to Nowhere” episode about Canyon. It warms my heart with great joy to see this, and see those places I was so nurtured as a child.
And so we walked down tiny paths to school, and did plays, and a luau, and I learned to hula and wrote letters to the president, and learned so very much. My community was my extended family, and I felt loved and wild and joyous. It was a wonderful place to grow up.
When I was young I could sleep for hours and hours. I stayed up until wee hours of the morning, painting or reading, or just gazing at the moon. Then I could easily sleep until noon. The only way I ever saw the sunrise was by staying up until it arrived. I loved my time in the stillness of the night, when everyone else was sleeping. And I loved the luxurious quality of my welcoming bed when I passed out from exhaustion.
My body does not fare well when I try to stay up too much later than 11pm anymore. I did a one year stint of graveyard shift graphic design several years back that cured me of that ability. Ever since I recovered from that job, I am useless in the late evening.
On the other had, I don’t sleep like I used to when so much younger, either. A lot of times, I’ll wake up at 3-4 am with a sudden inspiration that just won’t shut up. I keep index cards and a pen by my bed so I can write those down, ease my mind, and hopefully go back to sleep. Many times, though, the index card trick will not suffice. So, I rise.
In the stillness of early morning, I once again find that delicious solitude that feeds my spirit longing. As I engage in whatever creative endeavor the muse has prodded me toward, joy wells up and I know deep peace once more. I love to greet the sun infused with this creative joy. And I am grateful I only need my own permission to take a nap.
