Well-dressed ice skater in D.C.

This bit of joy comes to us from Patrick McGillivary.  Thanks, Patrick!

I Spied Joy yesterday in DC watching a gentleman in a suit ice skating… Not only in a suit, he had the fancy colorful handkerchief in his lapel pocket!

Our first flower of 2010

Brought to my attention by my son, Kellen, today we gazed upon the first flower in our yard this year. A stray crocus, sprouting up through the grass. What a joy!

For a desert-born girl like me, there are untold swells and stirrings of hope and longing for warm summer days about this time of year. Seeing this first flower confidently shoot up to greet the crisp air and morning sun the day after our northwest clouds released a continuous rain fills me with joy.

Ah, the promise of a blossoming spring. It’s a fabulous thing.

Sun Flower Car

Sun flowers (joy).

Painted on a car (joy, joy).

Seen on a rainy day (joy, joy, joy).

Ms. Kessel & Mrs. Muecci

Taryn and I walked into the Yankee Doodle Dance at Hough Elementary and were greeted by the 3rd grade teachers wearing glow sticks for glasses.  Brilliant.

Such silliness is not only joyous, it’s divine.

Think about it–how wonderful does it feel to do something completely goofy? Freeing.  Fun.  Joyful.  Brilliant.  Divine.

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
–Gilbert K. Chesterton

Groovy Nike High-Tops

Waiting in line at Stumptown with some friends for the weekly coffee/bagel run, I noticed these shoes on a young lady at the counter.  Love them! They’re fun and funky and they make people smile. Wearing shoes like that must increase your cheerfulness a good 10 points.  Has to.

Reminds me of another young lady I saw in downtown Portland wearing some wild socks.

So much fun! And isn’t that what life is for?

Hearts light up the tree on the corner

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and, as you’d expect, hearts are everywhere: in stores, on mugs, on socks, in windows, and even on sleeves.  I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see hearts lighting up a tree on the corner of Kaufman and McLoughlin in Vancouver, Washington.

Sappy as this may sound, I heart hearts!

Row houses on Glisan

One of my new year’s resolutions is to “be awake to beauty and aware of magnificence.”

On an errand for work, I happened upon on opportunity to fulfill that resolution: this fabulous set of row houses, painted in vibrant colors.  I drove around the block twice looking for a place to pull over and take a photo.

Even on a gray, rainy Portland day, these houses popped from the obvious pride and care with which they were painted. I took a few photos and just stood for several minutes soaking in the beauty.  A passer-by seeing me with camera in hand commented, “I work across the street and see people taking pictures of those houses all the time.”

It’s no wonder these houses bring joy to so many.  The collective display is truly magnificent.  Vibrant, happy colors applied in such detailed and caring fashion. It makes me smile.  And apparently many others.

Looking for a good laugh? Check out this happy happy baby and you’ll find yourself giggling in no time.

Kudos to my friend Kristin for introducing this little bit o joy to me.

Joy Tattoo

As I was talking to a new co-worker today, I spied a tattoo on her wrist.  Not just any tattoo–a joy tattoo.

And not only is it a joy tattoo, it’s a pretty, swirly, joy tattoo.

Gotta admit, I was slightly envious.

Maybe it’s a phase I’m going through. I’ve been feeling the desire to surround myself with positive words and affirmations. I put up colorful squares in my office affirming ‘yes’, ‘love your life’, ‘joy’, ‘begin’.  I’ve got a pendant declaring ‘settle for more’, and one that says ‘divine’. I’ve got a simple, silver band I can hardly stand to take off my finger that reminds me ‘everything is possible’.  And when I saw Tab’s tattoo today I just got giddy. She has a friend (or is it a sister?) with a tattoo that says ‘believe’ in the same writing.  Wow. How cool is that?

One of my friends thinks it’s a bit much–me with the positive word fixation.  But to be perfectly honest, it makes me feel better. Every time I read one of the cards or pieces of jewelry saying yes to joy and possibility, those positive thoughts reverberate in my mind. The more I see / read /feel it, the more I like it and the more I crave it.

Hello, my name is Michele Larsen and I’m a joy addict. I habitually smile and laugh. And I even squeal with delight on occasion. If you come near me you’re likely to get hugged.

Seriously.

Hugs, anyone?

Bus shelter in Vancouver, WA

Peace is in the air.  Or at least it seems to be.  I keep seeing signs of it everywhere.

A house in our neighborhood has a big peace sign on the lawn made with Christmas lights, a notice for the Let’s Think Peace art show came across Twitter from YES Magazine, and today I saw this bus shelter painted for peace.  These are just the highlights–I’ve seen peace sign rings, bumper stickers, t-shirts…

It’s kind of nice, the way the concept of being kind to each other seems to be top of mind.  It reminds me a little of a targeted ad campaign the way it shows up around every corner, but in a good way.  Which gives me a great idea: what if some wonderful foundation (anyone out there know Bill or Melinda Gates?) spent a few million on an ad campaign promoting peace and kindness across the nation?

I can see it now.  A billboard simply stating, “Be Kind”, a newspaper ad in the life section with smiling children of different races hugging or holding hands, Facebook ads asking, “How many times have you said I Love You today?”, the Google homepage with peace signs in the o’s, radio stations running 15- and 30-second spots with a kind warm voice reading a variety of quotations on peace, love and happiness, TV commercials with slide shows of joyous images.

Wouldn’t that be grand?

What might happen if we suddenly became bombarded with messages of kindness and hope, rather than fear and despair?  Would creating top of mind awareness for peace and kindness result in 5 more friendly acts per person per day? Or 2? Or 10? And what would the ripple effect of that be?  Less crime? More community?  It’s difficult to know for sure.  But I sure would like to find out.

Happy, peaceful holidays to you all.