We celebrated Christmas today with our two girls, 4- and 2-years old. Watching their joy in all the gifts they received--even the very simple ones--was a lesson for me today.
I was amazed to watch a bag of rainbow feathers provide just as much joy as an iPad mini. In fact, the rainbow feathers might have created more pure joy. My 4-year old dumped the whole bag out on the window bench in our kitchen and rolled in the feathers with a huge smile on her face. Having a huge pile of feathers was fulfilling some 4-year old dream of hers that an iPad, with hundreds of games and videos, wasn't able to do in the same way.
Let's be realistic, she didn't shun the use of her new iPad. She willingly dove right into playing games and watching videos. But the same spark of joy and creativity wasn't there. Sure, she was enjoying herself, but she kept coming back to the feathers. She lined them up in a row. She made a broom out of them with a straw.
She even asked me if we could turn a small blue craft feather into an ink pen (like were used in olde times). I loved the creativity and thought. She will get a lot of mileage out of that $6 bag of feathers. And a lot of pure joy.
This made me realize that this is how I want my life to be everyday--living from a place of pure joy and creativity.
I want to be rolling in those feathers. I want to be thinking up ways I can make blue craft feathers into ink pens. I want to put my iPad down from time to time, in favor of creative exploration. I want to find the joy in the simplicity of the moment--a satisfying deep breathe, a beautiful sky, a soft sweater, a warm conversation. This is my holiday wish.
With love, gratitude, and wishes of pure joy--happy holidays.
““Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” ”
