Joy

My question for you today is: What brings you joy?

It's been so long since I really thought about that kind of thing. I've been so busy, pretending to be the hamster on the wheel, that I feel like I've forgotten about the kinds of things that bring me joy.

I'm a Taurus, so naturally, I tend to lean towards the sensuous: things that I can touch and smell and taste.

Maybe it sounds trite and cliche, but for me, there's nothing like the feel of a brand-new beading needle in my fingers. Some of the reasons why I love to do what I do include the sensation of pouring a pile of tiny seed beads onto my bead board; the feel of the thread being pulled through the layers of beads and fabrics as I stitch. The colors of the beads as they blend flow throughout the piece. The sounds of the beads as I pour them back into their containers or fit them back into a storage box.

There are other things that don't have to do with beads, too: the smell and the warmth of a cup of fresh hot chocolate - nothing from an envelope, mind you, it's got to be real milk and real chocolate shavings, warmed in a pot on the stove top.

I love the sensation of slipping into a warm bath with my favorite lavender oils; the sight of a small candle glowing on the mantel over the fire. Let's just say that when I enjoy something, I tend to enjoy it fully, with every one of my five senses.

I've always been a very physical person. It's the sensations that come from being alive that bring me the most joy in my life, I think.

What brings you joy?