I've had so many treats this week, so many little ways people have reminded me that they are there, and they love me, and that I am so blessed! There were many very large coffee drinks, which I usually don't splurge on but very much enjoyed:
This one was as big as my head. Don't know if you can tell that from the pic.
There were also many gifted extravagant luxuries that blew my mind: spending money, a cardigan fit for a goddess, gift certificates for massages and dinners and dance lessons, gorgeous spring flowers, books, and vodka.
And friends and friends and friends and food.
And laughter.
It was one of the best birthdays ever, and I've had some great ones. This was my best year so far, too (and I think I said that last year!) so it was a wonderful way to end that.
I won't belabor the fruits of the joy project overly much. But it was fruitful. I am definitely happier now than I was a month ago, when the blues felt heavy and oppressive. Here are just a few quick observations:
1) Looking for joy, and praising it, increased my joyfulness.
2) There is something philosophically and spiritually significant about consciously making room for joy in one's life. This might mean creating opportunities for joy (having a hot bath, making time for a long walk, stopping work so as to be with my family, blogging) or simply noticing the everyday joy of life (listening to Nolie sing, appreciating the handsomeness of my husband's face and lingering in his arms, drawing with Addie).
3) It is surprisingly useful to record my encounters with joy. It was a pain some nights to upload the pictures and write a little something about them, but mostly it was useful to remind myself of the good, joyful things in my life everyday.
So, that's it. What will I take forward? Making time every day for joy. Taking time to notice. Journaling about the good as well as the pressures and fears and worries. And posting about it all here, once in a while.
Thanks for hanging out with me this month.
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