Mosaic
I wish this for you.
I wish you follow what brings your heart joy.
That you discover what zings and zaps your spirit–and let that delight you.
Whatever it might be.
If you love taking pictures, take a million photos and allow your happiness to bubble up and spill over into your computer, your blog posts, your art shows, your gifts.
If you love writing, write up a storm, my friend! Let your delight sparkle like fireflies on warm dark August nights.
Sometimes joy is as simple as noticing a sweet pear at dusk.
If you adore dancing–dance, dance, and dance some more! Don’t stay home on Saturday nights because you don’t have a partner and it’s too cold and you’re tired. Dance because it tickles your tender heart. Dance because your feet insist. Dance because we all need to kick up enough joy to make it through changing diapers, and dead-end jobs, and long afternoons of grief.
Don’t insist your joy be large and amazing. Joy can be small and sweet. Joy pats a baby’s back, picks daisies, finds new cheese at the deli. Joy walks up the dirt road or jogs by cherry blossoms in April. It can lead us through our days and nights if we but allow it.
Following the road of color and delight (photo from last October)
Our minds will find a million reasons to convince us to squelch our joy. It will. You’ve experienced this, haven’t you? A new love ignites the heart, a burning fire of creation. You fall in love with a person, an idea, a story, a possibility.
The next thing you know you’re dousing your own fire with water. You’ll convince yourself that you’re not worthy, that you can’t sustain your passion, that you’re not good enough, that you can’t, simply can’t, do what’s needed.
Count the excuses your mind makes. They’re endless, aren’t they?
Some people–I’m not naming names–love ice fishing.
I am lucky, oh so lucky, to have discovered the passion of blogging four to five years ago. At first I was a scaredy-cat. Afraid to be vulnerable in public. Afraid to share from the heart. Afraid of my ever-blogging shadow.
Slowly, ever-so-slowly, I grew blogging wings. I wrote my heart out. I dared to say daring things. I dared to type scary sentences–and then entire paragraphs! My heart sang. The typing fingers danced.
Later I learned to click, click, click the camera and grew to appreciate photography. And I shared from the heart–what the heart saw through the camera lens. I allowed the camera to capture what interested me, what made the spirit shine, what shimmered in light.
I have never felt the same huge rushes of love which accompany writing a story when taking photos–but have enjoyed attempting to “see” more deeply and share with others. And it makes the heart sing when others appreciate the efforts, when others delight in reflected ducks and shopping carts.
I do not love ice fishing. But have been known to almost kiss a fish because joy momentary ignited the heart…
Oh my friends–how I have adored blogging! It has felt like a gift from the heavens. It has felt like someone poured pure joy into this Little House in the Big Woods. The world opened up like a spiraling sharing and this heart has been happy.
No, no, don’t get me wrong, it isn’t always happy. Sometimes it fusses. Sometimes it blogging snarls. Sometimes it feels confused. I want to continue to share my vulnerability, my not-knowing, my humanity with you. To be more and more “real”. To not deny or suppress the very human emotions of grief, despair, sadness…in between ecstatic delight, joy, laughter.
Sometimes joy is as simple as seeing horse whiskers up close.
Yesterday I did something wild & crazy. Yes, your blogger did!
I went into Facebook and created a page for Lake Superior Spirit. Have always felt a little uncomfortable linking my blog posts from my “Kathy” page, so here is a perfect solution! People who “like” can get the posts in their feed and others don’t need to see the regular postings.
It’s a win-win situation that doesn’t dilute the joy of sharing. If anyone wants to “like” this new page (if you have a Facebook account) please visit: https://www.facebook.com/LakeSuperiorSpirit
So excited about this new page that I got up at 5:20 a.m. Can you believe it when you’re that delighted about life?
Thank you for all your support!! I appreciate your accompaniment to my joy and truly, truly wish that you discover what ignites your passion, your heart, your delight. May each and every one of you follow that which interests you, which calls you like birdsong, what beckons you to follow.
What makes your heart sing?
Love, Kathy
Lake Superior Spirit 
How wonderful
Thank you, Bobz! It was fun.
Ohhhhhhh, I just wanna kiss that whiskered horse muzzle! And then go eat that sweet pear. Then maybe toboggan down that steep hill — wheeeeeee!
Yep, Laurie, you’ve got they joy-joy-joy down in your heart!
glad this is the first post I read this morning – gave me enough enthusiam and joy to get on with my day – love the pic of the road and autumn scene
I was kinda wild with enthusiasm and joy yesterday, LouAnn. Have **almost** calmed down today. I love that road pic, too!
I’m so glad you discovered blogging so you can share it with us! I discovered a love of running a few years ago and can’t imagine what I’d do without it. I love it so much that while you were getting up at 5:20, I was finishing up my run! Thanks for the FB page-it will make it easier to share your posts with my friends. Hope the rest of your day is as exciting and joyful as 5:20 am was!
Annie, I am smiling at your love of running. So glad that you found that passion in your life! Also, thank you so much for “liking” my Facebook page. It was so funny–about an hour ago my mind started listing all the reasons why this page wouldn’t work & how dumb it was. Just in time I realized it was the crazy mind offering excuses and decided to ignore it & create anyway.
Kathy – this post made me smile! “And I shared from the heart–what the heart saw through the camera lens.” — this statement captures so well one of the reasons I think I love my little amateur point-and-shoot photography hobby, and why sometimes we try so desperately to capture that “moment” through the lens. ~ Kat
Kat, some wise person pointed out about the heart seeing through the camera lens to me recently. Ever since then I think I’ve liked photography more! I am smiling at your point-and-shoot love. I had that little P&S camera for more than two years when I first started blogging and sometimes even miss it. It was a great friend & teacher. Enjoy!
What makes my heart sing……is seeing what makes other people’s hearts sing! And what else makes my heart sing?…Newborn babies, children singing, my dog, nature, Lake Superior, soft, warm blankets, hot coffee, Thanksgiving, Christmas, especially Christmas music and the list goes on. The things that bring me the most joy though…would be the second chance I have been blessed with for life and love and for my sons and my family of loved ones. (which includes friends like you Kathy!) ♥
That is the sweetest kind of singing, Brenda! You are a person who gets so much joy out of other people’s joy, aren’t you? And you spread your joy ceaselessly. Thank you for YOU!
awwww thank you honey ♥
I have been thinking quite a bit about joy lately, so this post feels like conversation. This is a beautiful time of year I wake up without an alarm these days, to dog kisses and wagging tails. Warm coffee comes with me as we take our first walk of the day. By the time we get to our leaf-strewn trail I am grinning at dog’s antics and in love with my life. Thanks, Kathy! (Lake Superior Spirit on Facebook sound like a great idea!)
Hi there Ms. Cindy. I have so loved reading these comments with everyone’s description of joy and happiness. It IS a beautiful time of year in the northwoods, isn’t it? I am having a BLAST on Facebook and even trying to post pictures in between blog notices. So glad you are in love with your life…
Your joy today has been infectious Kathy, and my heart has been singing for your joy! Pure, honest happiness in another person has always given me joy, then there’s my children, my two cats, my dog, my parrot, my garden, the plants, flowers and birds in my garden, the ocean, chocolate, coffee, mountains, photography (especially now I have my new camera!) writing, cooking, my home, books, gosh there is a lot to be happy about! Oh, and I love cuddling up nice and warm in my cosy bed, which is where I must go now! Good night. Have a wondrful day, my friend, as I dream the night away. 🙂
Isn’t it lovely when we “catch” happiness and joy from another person, Joanne? I swear I am feeling happier just reading your delights here. Your passion with your camera has been so fun to hear about! And cuddling up in a cozy bed…oh yes…may dreams blossom in your night times AND day times!
Hi Kathy! Wow!! Good juju here! Nice way to start my day! So happy to be a part of your blogging community.
Hugs
SuZen
We are so lucky to have a blogging community, aren’t we, SuZen? I am delighted that you are part of mine. So delighted.
YOU are bringing me joy this morning, Kathy! And like you, I love writing and blogging and the community that grows from both! Happy Tuesday, my friend.
Hugs,
Kathy
Kath, we are so lucky to have our on-line friends and those who meet us beyond the computer’s screen. I know you love writing and sharing as much as I do. Hurray that this opportunity exists!
I’m SO glad you started your new page! Hooray! Your joy dances off the screen and lights up my rooms. Love you!
Susan Dee, since you were one of the people who kept urging me to put more of my posts on Facebook, you can take part of the credit for this. So my joy is your joy and your joy is mine and we are forever interdependent, Amen, and when do we go out to lunch again?
I love my morning cup of coffee round at your blog Kathy but I will like your page anyway. Please don’t kiss fish.
Kerry, Kerry, Kerry! We must always kiss fish! Shouldn’t we? lol and loving that you sip your coffee while you pause here in Lake Superior Spirit’s computer room and that we can get to know one another a little, in between fish kisses.
You see here in France we kiss our friends each time we meet them, twice, sometimes three times. Now imagine if your friend was puckering up for a kiss and you knew that those lips had just kissed a fish. Would you want them planted on your soft, downy, recently washed and moisturised cheek?
I would NEVER kiss a fish again!!! Ever!!! You’ve convinced me!
Thank you Kathy. I can rest assured that once I get to Lake Superior I can greet you correctly.
You crack me up!
It’s my job, I’m an author.
Too early in my day (yes, it’s 3.05 in the afternoon) to have a working brain but I’m glad you blog, I’m glad I know you (am getting to know you better) and am glad you make a FB page. 🙂 Hugs.
Val, how can 3:05 in the afternoon be too early in a day? I am almost ready for bed by that time! LOL…see, we’re not 100% alike, even though we can both be a little memory-deficient and slow to catch on at times. Thank YOU for the FB page inspiration! I think it was your page that threw me over the edge. so thank you!
I get up at about 11am and don’t really start waking up properly til evening, often when it start getting dark. Sometimes I wonder if I wouldn’t have done better as a vampire! 😉 I always went to bed at 2am but these days it’s closer to 3.30am or 4am.
I’ve got a good (online) article somewhere about FB pages, would you like me give you a link to it?
Yes, please, that would be lovely. Whenever you’re awake! 🙂
Actually, I’ve just looked through my Facebook bookmarks and realise I’ve several that might be helpful, so I’ll email them to you instead. 🙂 (I’m fairly awake at the moment just past 2pm, I wonder if it’ll last!)
You are such an inspiration, Kathy! 😉 I consider myself extremely lucky that I have discovered what makes my heart “sing”, it’s like I’ve become a whole new person. When someone TRULY loves something, when they put their whole heart into it, it is obvious when someone witnesses the results. ♥
Holly, your passion for photography has been a delight to see. I like how you’ve allowed yourself to be pushed out of your comfort zone, too. I think that’s important. It keeps us on the edge of joy, pushing the envelope of love.
Kathy, this is just what I needed. A message not to “count the endless excuses my mind makes”. Thank you! Your post is inspiring once again. 🙂
Shieram, I am glad you liked this. My mind started in with its endless excuses today. Why the FB page wouldn’t work, why it was stupid, why I didn’t have time. Thank goodness I recognized its tactics before thinking they were true! The mind was truly trying to circumvent my joy. I guess our minds try to do this because they love us and want to keep us safe & comfortable. Joy tries to swirl us beyond our comfort zone.
I loved it! That thing our minds do in trying to keep us safe & comfortable, mine does that all the time. I think at the back of my head I know that I was just making excuses. But reading it here in your post, it’s like fueling my courage.
This is what I needed this morning. Thank you.
Excellent, John. I wrote for you, then. 🙂
Sometimes I do feel like an excuse machine, but it’s generally about things that don’t particularly bring joy 😉
I’m so glad you found blogging – and that I found you! I don’t imagine I love ice fishing. But then I don’t love warm weather fishing either, even though I do enjoy it some. I simply cannot fathom being out there – where it must be very cold and windy – without a hat or ear-covering! I would come in with a horrific headache. But I just love that you are cooing at that fish 🙂 See you on facebook!
Ha ha, Holly, you NEVER know that you might love ice fishing. I mean, look how much you love the lake, right? (ppssst, I don’t really love ice fishing. But I have been lured out there…yes “lured”…and have discovered it’s not half so bad even though I refuse to go regularly.) LOVE seeing you on FB! You are the best.
Even though you called me Holly, we can still be friends – even on FB 😉
I could be *lured* to try ice fishing. However, I don’t enjoy the cold unless I’m active in it – hence the skiing and sledding, and someday cross-country, so my expectations aren’t high. But – I WOULD like photographing it!
Haven’t I called you Holly more than once? I mean both you and Holly live downstate (although you’re further north) and when I’m typing too fast responding to comments it can get so confusing. Heather. Heather. Your name is Heather. Isn’t it? lol!
Noticing joy and enchantment, and the expressions of it, bring me joy. Sometimes, growlie and snarlie expressions also bring me joy, because they clean space, which allows the joy too!
Really? Growlie and snarlie expressions bring joy, too? Yes. Now that I think about it–sometimes they do. Cleaning space can be just what’s needed.
This is totally amazing to wake up in the morning to read an inspirational article! Thanks for sharing!
Edea, thank you! Your comment and decision to share brought ME joy. So we passed it on…
I’m catching your joy and spirit as I read your post in CO this morning, Kathy. The older I get, the less my enthusiasms are thwarted. Why is that? Too stubborn or too immune to what others’ might think? We are all so vulnerable, but mostly our own “monkey mind” is the naysayer. Leaving momentarily for a trip into UT – yippee!
Barb, it is fascinating to see the changes in our joys & passions as we grew older. In some ways, I am feeling more like your view all the time. In other ways, part of me feels tired sometimes by effort involved in birthing new creative babies. I am wondering if you are hiking in Utah. I imagine you are. You are out in the desert right now squinting at the sun and feeling deep joy. Yes, you are. I am sure.
It makes me happy that you have found such great joy. It makes me happy that you continue to share that joy so beautifully. Let the words pour, let the pictures reflect, let the joy make your heart soar, and we will soar along with you!
Now, I have to confess the first picture, the one with the duck, made me think for a moment that my glasses were failing me. Tricky, aren’t you?
Very tricky, Carol! That picture was one I might have labeled a “failure” until my brother-in-law begged for a print for Christmas! OK, OK, maybe he needed glasses, too. LOL!
Oh Kathy, once again your blog flies right off the page and into my mind and heart. Sometimes I feel that you are writing your blog just for me. It is wonderful to find joy in the little things as well as the big things. Sometimes I just have to remind myself how much there is in my life to be joyful about. You, my dear, are a blessing, and your blog a joy to read.
Bonnie, isn’t it amazing that we discover that so many of us need or want to hear the same words? Sometimes I think the Universe is writing for ME through my fingertips because I need to learn the lesson as much as anyone. Thank you for your kind thoughtful loving words–and for “meeting” you on my FB page.
It takes courage to do what makes our hearts sing – at least sometimes….as you said, something (or someone) is telling us for whatever reason that this isn’t what we want, or shouldn’t want, or they don’t want it, or they don’t want us to want it. But I think the soul always knows what it wants, and we will only experience sadness to the core if we don’t listen to it. That’s just what I have experienced when I’ve squelched the it that I wanted but didn’t want to want. Hope that makes sense! ❤
It makes perfect, perfect sense, Stacy Lyn. We MUST listen to our soul and figure out ways to make its longings come true. However, I think most of us do squelch some of these longings for a time. We leave home to seek the Holy Grail until we learn that the Holy Grail was always within us…
Exactly! ❤
Thank you for all your good wishes (and all the blogging support too) Isn’t it fun to share your joy with others? Many blessings to you and yours.
It is the best, Lisa! I think I got a little hyper this time, though, lol. Your FB page was one of the incentives to get me going on this! Thank you.
“Joy can be small and sweet.” Yes! Yes! Yes! Love all the sweet thoughts and images you share here. So many little things in the course of the day make my heart sing, drinking a cup of tea, morning sunshine, birds singing, reading another chapter in a good book, making plans together, a phone call from a grown child, leaves starting to turn, music in the air…
I think the smallest joys are sometimes the sweetest, Barbara. Too often we’re looking for the big joys, when the simple ones are what makes our heart sing. That’s true music. Thank you for resonating with this.
LIKE!
LOVE–You! Thank you, Dawn.
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LIKE………..love the thought of living in a little house in the woods. Perhaps it is back to the farm for me after all these years. It would make me smile and laugh and sing to go back to where I grew up….I think!
Great post. Maybe I’ll create a page for Purpleborough. I have another page but no one liked it very much so it kinda just sits there. I guess I am afraid the same thing would happen to Purpleborough.
Hi, Linda. It is kinda cool living in a little house in the woods. I used to get lonely. But not any more. It’s strange that out of 240 friends on FB only about 50 have liked my new page. If it wasn’t for you guys and your “likes” the page might go bust. But I feel like it’s not going to be just a place to post blogs from Lake Superior Spirit. Going to put other stuff there, too, I think, we’ll see what happens…
I pared down my FB friends to only those I felt I actually knew. No strangers, but if you look at my friends, they all seem to be space folk. I doubt they would ever read my blog.
Doesn’t it just slay you? I mean wouldn’t you think your friends would want to know more about you and what you think? It slays me. But I am getting more mature about it. It’s just taken 4-5 years of blogging to realize, hey, my friends and family don’t HAVE to read my blog. sniff, sniff.
Yes, it is totally confusing. You would think your friends would be curious about what you write. I found this not to be true at all. They don’t seem to give a n’er your mind. That is why I so often say, I write for myself because I have found that total strangers (in the beginning and maybe forever) are the only ones who respond. I am more slayed by the folks who love to post how many comments they received, i.e. “I have received 10,000 comments” and I would like to say, “So?” Now I am not talking about you. You fall in a different category altogether. When one gets Freshly Pressed, you know that you are going to have lots of comments. How do I know this….the crowd follows where the soothsayers tell them to go….not taking away from anyone. It is the nature of the beast.
So I don’t give a RA about numbers. Write to write.
There may be some Harper Lee’s out there; as a matter of fact, I think you could be one, not joking. You just need to buckle down and write that novel bursting to get out.
I think we all have to come to this point: write to write. Share to share. Do it because it’s a passion and not to get hits, comments or numbers. Sometimes I think people get turned off my blog because there are too many people commenting. It’s hard to satisfy everyone. I think I am slowly learning this lesson.
Some of the comments are good; others are there because it is the place to be and to say something; and therefore, I have judged the intentions of folk I don’t even know.
Now where is the reply to the Harper Lee Novel part of the comment?
🙂
Well, I could call you “chicken”…but perhaps another day.
I am basking in your joy and delight Kathy! It has slipped into my morning here and will try to pass it along today.
And speaking of delight, I love your new page 🙂
Colleen, thank you! I am trying to make it a more-than-blog-link page. Going to add lots of photos there, as well. Although I suppose many of you will have already seen the photos here at the blog–I hope!
How beautiful it is that you share your lovely world with us. I’m glad to see your page on facebook. I appreciate that you are so open and out driven. I think its just too amazing when one can share something or anything with the others. I’m such an introvert. Bless you, God’s lovely creation! 😀
Want to know a secret, Sonali? I was MUCH more of an introvert at your age. It took me a long time to come into myself. Maybe I was a wanna-be extrovert in younger years. Just shy and a scaredy-cat a lot. So glad that you appreciate the new page. I LOVE that you “liked”.
Your enthusiasm is contagious and that is a very good thing.
Karen, if you don’t have a FB page you might want to consider! I know you have lots of people who *love* your blog!
I have a FB page that doesn’t work properly…something I have to get am expert to correct for me now that I am back home.
I loving the ducks! And the road photo is outstanding!
Thank you, Phil! I appreciate your visit to Lake Superior Spirit–and that you paused to comment.
How positive (and good timing for me)!
Glad it was good timing, Inger. Thank you!
I’ve never seen someone singing to a fish before. And in the middle of a frozen lake without gloves? That is happy.
It was a happy moment, Rosie! Smiling thinking about it. I HAVE declined to go ice fishing afterwards, though…
Thank you for the permission to joy like there’s not tomorrow….and right back at ‘cha.
It’s always good when all of us keep reminding one another. Thank you, LutheranLadies for your joy.
Oh gosh, how I loved that photo of the horse’s whiskers! It is my favourite!
Excellent! The horse whispers were just for you, then, Reggie!
This post brought me joy, keep it up, such a blast of fresh air!
I am glad for your blast of fresh air, Lucinda. Smiling atcha!
JOY is my middle name! No, really, it IS my middle name. It was my mother’s middle name and the middle name I gave my daughter. I think she will continue the tradition when (if) she ever has a daughter.
I love the joy I see in your photos. The horse’s whiskers reminded me of the velvet-soft muzzle that horses have. I love horse-back riding, although it’s been years since I’ve had the chance. The road in autumn is gorgeous! The mosaic duck is fascinating. Did you blur the picture on purpose or is that just the way it turned out? The ice fishing one with the fisherman peeking through the handle was very clever. You cradling the fish in your hand looks like you were singing it a lullaby!
Thanks for reminding us about finding the joy in even the SMALL things. 🙂
Really, withershins? Your name is mywithershins joy? **grin!** Just kiddin’… I am glad that you saw the joy in these pictures and paused to share. I must admit that the photo was a reject when I first saw it but people have ended up liking it and my brother-in-law even wanted a print of it last Christmas! Glad you are another fan of the joy in small things. The small things are the best.
Blogging evolution, from scary to joyful, all in one post. 😀 I’ve been giving myself a similar message. Permission, if you will. to be joyful in those things that bring me joy instead of listening to those other voices (whether they come from outside sources or from my inner critic).
Yes, Robin, giving ourselves permission to be everything, to let it all in. It’s hard to deal with that inner critic (or the exterior reflections from the inner critic). I had thought that I let all of that go–but earlier this year got very caught up in the inner critic again. It’s a circular lesson, isn’t it? I love the deeper direction your posts have been going lately.
My goodness Kathy, that horse’s nose is so totally irresistible! Love this post!
The horse’s nose loves you, too, dear Poet.
Thank you for being you, Kathy! So many of your posts speak to me like they were Personally Addressed To Me, and this is yet another one of them. I can relate to dousing my own fires! Thank you for the reminder not to do that… at least so thoroughly and effectively. (You’d think I was a Fire Chief sometimes!) Blessings to you, my friend. 🙂
Man, do I love that when people say these blog posts are Personally Addressed to Them. YES! I am always hoping I’m not only writing for myself. Instead, for ALL of us. And yep, know what you mean about being a Fire Chief! Good one!