Have you ever had a burst of joy that was so intense, it felt like it would rip you apart trying to express it, embrace it, hold on to it? I have had many, many of those, but in spite of how exquisite they are, they seem to be as fleeting. Bursting into existence and then fading away as quickly as they appeared.
I have a happy disposition by nature and my angel mother always used to say, “Don’t let anyone take away your happy. It’s yours to give away.”
Words of wisdom that have lingered, but at times are slow to be remembered.
I’m too often, too quick to forget the joy of the little things, while I’m pushing through, hard, big things.
When I stop looking at my phone, and stop searching for new things to give me that burst, I remember all the little things that already bring me joy and it makes me giggle!
I was 18 and my husband was 19 by a week when we got married. A clueless artist and musician, we were confident that we knew what we were doing, and that we could just live on love alone so we set out on our “Happy Ever After” with a Rambler, push button start station wagon, my husband’s key board and 2 suitcases filled with everything else we owned. We’ve literally raised each other for the last 42 years!
Poor as church mice on our first Christmas, we waited until Christmas Eve when the tiny 2 foot trees in front of the grocery store went on clearance. We got our $4.99 Charlie Brown Christmas tree, a box of multi colored string lights and a box of mini red and white stiped candy canes for decorations.
Because one of my husband’s favorite memories as a child was laying under the family tree and squinting while looking up at the colored lights, we brought home our treasures and assembled the masterpiece on top of a produce crate, layed on the floor as close as we could get to the decorated, lit up twig, squinted our eyes and gazed up together, and made fart noises, until our sides ached from laughter!
We were even more poor the following Chrismas, so we put a picture of that years tree up on the fridge, called it good, and giggled some more!
“Giggle” is a permanent reminder to help me recall all the things in my life that have already brought me joy. The depth of the sunshine yellow resin base is thicker to catch the light and let it cast a warm glow.
The collected residue that settled on the top represents the lasting residual effects of recalled, happy memories. The citrus colored, mineral glass burst is composed of dried plant matter that represents once dried and forgotten memories, bursting to the surface, made new again. This is me, taking back my happy.
” Giggle” does not have a front, back or side and the resin base is circular so you can display it however best it speaks to you!
Enjoy