May is our JOY month! Between multiple family birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day and graduation season there is a lot to celebrate! We kicked off the month with a gathering of about a dozen and a half close friends. A look at many years of life and exploration, lots of good food, a specialized dessert and so much conversation!

The night of the 2nd we joined our creative community for more celebrating of 4 birthdays of community members and also supporting local artists and art businesses. Some businesses are closing up and moving out of state. Others are taking up their spaces and learning how to expand their client bases. The leader of the community was sick and could not be there, however it was nice to see her volunteer group step up and make it happen. One of our friends was also sad because of a death in the family and they live on the opposite side of the country, so attending the funeral was not possible. So lots of compassion went her way and I gave her something a friend had recommended to me in the past. It’s The Grief Deck, available at Bookshop.org, Thriftbooks and the usual GIANT place to order anything online. Some places gobble up so many other businesses you don’t even have to mention their name. Everyone just knows. So get it there, if you must.

Today we are working and discovering an old garbage disposal that needs replacement. So that is purchased at a smaller hardware store and our handyman will replace it later in the week.

Hey, life is not continuous joy… that’s why you have to RUN TOWARD it when you see the opportunity! Throw your arms in the air, when you see your friends who understand support in the hard times and joyous celebration amidst it all. Nothing is ever all good or all bad. It’s the mix that makes life rich, however too many times we skip celebrating our own accomplishments because we don’t want to be seen as loud or self centered. YOUR FRIENDS WANT TO CELEBRATE YOU! Don’t deny them the chance.

I am strategically planning out the rest of the month to start a new art project that I surveyed the guests, at the first celebration, about. This one will contrast what we say we want with what we actually do. Speaking of that…

I was visiting a favorite local coffee shop that needed to change owners (they kept it in the family) and are clearing out the old, cleaning and making way for the new. It’s sad and exciting all at the same time! They are looking to partner with local farmer’s markets and artists to create a truly unique experience. I will back that. We discussed how we were all disappointed to see that a local drive through (formerly a cheap burger place) was remodeled – got everyone’s hopes up – and then turned out to be yet another Starbucks. The 3rd Starbucks in a 5 mile radius! Seriously, how many do we need in one area? One of the young people said, “Well people are lazy”. And I said, “Yes, and that’s how we got to where we are.” Less and less choice and more and more mindless running instead of intentional living. The next generation said they didn’t want more Starbucks right next to a gas station. They live intentionally in what they do daily. They want unique, healthy food next to a charging station. They want less alcohol at the front of the grocery store and more fresh produce that was grown locally. They want affordable housing and reasonable starting pay. They are tired of the prior generation slowly eliminating their health, their environment and their choices. I have to tell you as a mature woman who’s seen and done a lot… they have the right inclinations. They just don’t have enough of the millionaires backing real world intelligent solutions. And so the disparity between the world we want and the world we are forced into, grows ever wider. And yet… with community there is hope for change.

At the second of May event, there was a young woman walking around with her cell phone on a stick and bright LED lights facing toward her. She was walking around recording the community event and not engaging with the local artisans or shop owners. Many younger artists called out to her and asked, “what are you recording for?” “Tic-Tok!”, she exclaimed and walked on down the sidewalk by herself. By the end of the evening she was sitting down and talking with a local craftsperson, phone put away and real conversations going on. It was heart warming to see. We can “have it all”, we just can’t have it all at once or all without personal, physical connections. Your digital screen gives horrible hugs. So take time to create or join community and engage in joy creations. Until next week my fellow creators!