My Close Up

It is day one of Joy Spotting around here, and I mean to tell you that the very first thing I spotted this morning was not joyful.  AT.  ALL.  

It was a wiry chin hair.

Take a moment and process THAT. 

And not just ANY chin hair.  Any ole chin hair would be bad enough.  Who has time for chin hairs?  When did chin hairs become a thing?  Do I need to do a #write31days challenge on CHIN HAIR SPOTTING?  Am I OLD ENOUGH FOR CHIN HAIRS?  Last time I checked, my name is NOT Gladys! (No offense intended for those named Gladys.  But one could conclude that women named Gladys have a high degree probability of sporting chin hairs).  

That's right.  This level of hysteria cannot ONLY be about chin hairs.  No way.  It can only be reserved for one thing and one thing only.

THE WIRY GRAY CHIN HAIR.

Egads.  THE WHITE CHIN HAIR!  AND THE FOREHEAD WRINKLES!  Gah!!

Sigh.

When I decided to do this challenge (uh, yesterday), I had notions of what official Joy Spotting might look like.  These joy spottings were intended to be organic.  Natural.  IN THE MOMENT.  And in my mind's eye, they would be spiritual and Pinterest-y and heady and moving and meaningful and would make me sound like a joy spotting GURU and would launch my future book deal and would secure me a "Super Soul Sunday" guest spot to discuss the profound life-changing effects of joy spotting.  I mean, this guest appearance would be SOLIDLY in Oprah's calendar.  

Ahem.

That's not how it happened today.   

How it happened today was that I saw a white hair sprouting out of my chinny-chin chin.  And it made me laugh.  Hard and loud.  By myself.  And it felt great.  It even rose to the level of. . . you guessed it. . . JOYFUL.  

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CHIN HAIRS as a source of joy.  Who knew?

Post Script and Disclaimer for the Under 30 Crowd:

My darling, dear 11 year old son read this post aloud.  He said, "If you are over 30, I would guess that this would be really funny.  If you are under 30, you won't think it is funny AT ALL.  In fact, the under 30 people will be like, 'What in the world are chin hairs?' "

Joy Spotting....a Write 31 Days Challenge

Does this look like a woman that needs to devote herself to some joy spotting?  

Why, yes.  Yes, it does.  

Today is not my best day.  Nor was yesterday.  Or several days before that.  Or really, for quite some time.  

I have found myself to be in a bit of a funk (if I'm honest), for several months now.  Joy has been fleeting and I am having to dig deep.  My affliction?   Caretaker-fatigue syndrome, with a scoop of world-weariness, a slice of mild depression, and a splash of serious writer's block.  With four boys (ranging from teenager to toddler), a traveling husband, an overweight dog, a farm that won't grow anything (along with a contract farmer who just quit TODAY, thankyouverymuch), and my job as a part-time professor. . . not to mention the refugee crisis, school shootings, Internet dangers and the inability to muster the energy or motivation or dedication to put words onto a page . . . well . . , I think my self-diagnosis is right on the money.  

Welcome to my farm.  This is where we harvest rocks and weeds.  

My soul is in need of a joy-infusion.  Big.  Time.

And this writing life of mine needs a healthy dose of accountability.  

I need a JOY FOCUS and a WRITING BOSS, and it's coming to me in the form of the #write31days challenge.  By committing to write (and publish!) for each of the 31 days in October, I have promised to show up to the page, to my life, and to all the good that is present in the world for the duration of October and hopefully forever and ever. Amen.  

Here's what I know.  There is joy to be found in struggle. . . it's where the good stuff often resides.   I also know that struggle is relative. . .   I know that my "struggle" absolutely pales in comparison to those both near and far.  But that doesn't discount the seriousness of a joy deficit.  It can mess a woman up, I'm here to tell you.  

I need to remember that there is joy to be found in both the mundane and in the sublime.  Joy is present every day, everywhere, where ever I am, despite my feelings or thoughts or circumstances.  I have just forgotten to how to SEE it. 

It is the noticing of the small joys that gives birth to gratitude.  And gratitude?   

GAME CHANGER.  

I also know that this game of mine needs CHANGING.

Hence, 31 Days of Joy Spotting.  Well, 26 days, since I'm a bit late to the party.  Writer's block and procrastination is a whole thing, friends.  

WHATEVER.  I'm doing it.    

I hope that you will join me on a month long journey of joy spotting.  I know beautiful moments of  joy are hidden from all of us in plain sight.  And maybe, through the noticing, our souls can rejoice again.

Remembering an afternoon of throwing rocks?  Not a bad start.