Friday, February 22, 2013

The Joy Project

I know, I haven't posted in a really long time, and if any one reads this, I will be flattered.

This has been a hard winter (and it is still winter, so it is still hard). Finding a way to be joyful has been a challenge, and I've needed a little (read a lot) of help. My friend Ebba suggested I try writing down everything that is a blessing (or a joy) in my life and put it in a mason jar, to be read next New Year's Eve. I loved the idea, but lacked the mason jar.

For the wedding, I painted a tree and thought to have it be my guest book by having people hang tags off the "branches" to create leaves. In the chaos of preparation, I couldn't find it or forgot about it or something, so my tree went unused.

One day, contemplating what to do with this tree and all of the "leaves" I had made, I realized it was a perfect fit for my joy project. So I started recording my little joys on the cards I had cut out, and started growing the leaves of my tree with the moments that have brought me joy this winter.

Is it a perfect solution? No. Like I said, this has been a hard winter. Is it something I love to look at when I'm feeling a little down? Absolutely. I love this project for so many reasons, including it is something entirely crafted by me (and my husband who helped cut out the tags for it).

So Ebba, thank you for the idea. Peter, thank you for helping make the tags. Life, thank you for having moments of joy to record.