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Liz Cooledge Jenkins's avatar

This is lovely. I'm also so psyched about seeing all the flowers on neighborhood walks this spring. And The Sheep Detectives movie brought some unexpected joy as well.

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Yay! I hope I get to see it--it sounds delightful. Missing our breakfasts together!

Lauren O'Connell's avatar

Sheep Detectives hive rise up!! (Flock??)

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Haha, yes!

Rose Hesselbrock's avatar

What?! Robin Wall Kimmerer and Barbara Brown Taylor? What a joy it would be to spend time in their company even as a non-writer! Joy is getting long views of Mt. Rainier coming back from Indianapolis last Sunday. In watching a pair of geese parents and their SEVEN goslings, (an instant large family!) waddle around the garden next door. In the heady scent of lilacs. In the electric orange of a poppy and the deep pink of a peony. I'd share photos but don't see how to do that!

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Oh, these are all so wonderful!! I am LIVING for the flowers right now. It feels like we've waited ages for them! Every day the sun shines must add a minute to my life.

Pauline Hovey's avatar

Thanks for this, Cameron. I’m reminded of quote from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.”

And you got me convinced that I need to sign up for that faith and writing conference!

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Amen to that! I hope you get to come next time! It was just so inspiring and encouraging.

Kathleen Basi's avatar

You're speaking my language here. Joy was my word for the year last year (the year before? The years run together...)

My joy report: Mother's Day has been a charged holiday for me almost all the way through. But this year it was deliciously taken off the angst list because my husband took me to New York to see Chess in April, and said, "This is your Mother's Day and your birthday." So I got to use it as a day to serve my mom rather than feel torn. That morning I woke up before 4 am., and when I heard how quiet it was outside my house, I decided to try to go back to sleep down on the patio outside. I slept another hour and a half outside, waking to the birds. You want joy? That's joy.

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Kathleen, this is amazing! What wonderful gifts, all around. Especially waking to the birds! Thank you for sharing your joy report!

Annette's avatar

Now this is a project I can get into!!! Joy: having you in my life!

Cameron Bellm's avatar

And you better believe I feel the same way!

Sarah K. Butterfield's avatar

This was a delight to read, through and through! I'm so excited we got to meet in real life at the festival! So much brought me joy today, first of which was some really encouraging words from a friend. Love the idea of a joy report!

Cameron Bellm's avatar

It was *such* a delight to finally meet you and get to hug you, Sarah! Love that you got some encouraging words, a buoy for the soul!

John Milcetic's avatar

My delight is finding you and all these wonderful people finding joy in their days in beautiful simple ways. How great is the love of God to strew all these flower petals in our paths!! I want to thank you Cameron for the great little joys I found every day during Lent in "In Praise of...".

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Oh, I agree--all of you here are reason for joy indeed! Love that image of God strewing flower petals in our paths!

Jennifer Sawyer's avatar

Love this, Cameron! I'm so glad you had the chance to go to the festival. I hope to in the future!

Your cappuccino moment reminded me of when my 3-year-old heard me order one and tried to repeat it... what emerged from her mouth was a hilarious (and vaguely threatening?) cup-pup-a-don't-ya!

Cameron Bellm's avatar

That is adorable! Children mispronouncing things is always cause for joy. I hope to see you at the festival next time!

Lauren O'Connell's avatar

THE BREAD ARTICLE!!! I think I’m going to go old school and photocopy and mail it to everyone I know.

My joy report:

- that pic of you and Laura. My goodness do I pray that life allows my path to cross with each of yours.

- a really great skirt from Rent the Runway that looks super cute with a jean jacket

- The Sheep Detectives. (Movie). Folks, there are So Many Sheep. And a cozy mystery!!

- walks in the woods with the 9 yo

Book report:

- Children of Time suuuuuuuuper long sci fi book about distant future human civilization coming in contact with a civilization of, um, spiders. Beautifully written, thought provoking. Verrry long.

- everything by Kate Milford. Currently in the middle of her latest, Rialto, but this middle-grade writer Does Not Miss.

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Ohhh, this is such a good list!! Please take photos if indeed you photocopy it because I love that too much! I hope I get to meet and hug you too!

Marissa Papula's avatar

💛

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Love youuuu

Bekah Stewart's avatar

Love this! Can’t wait to follow along on Instagram. ❤️

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Thank you! See you there!

Judith Macnamara's avatar

Just reading I felt the joy in your writing…thank you! See you on Instagram…jam

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Yay! See you there!

Marisol Muñoz-Kiehne's avatar

“Duty of delight”!

Gaia’s “human project” trusts

joy engine sparks light.

...

“Treasure hunt” for good

news, sacred worldly beauty.

Attention fuels growth.

Cameron Bellm's avatar

Love every word.

Camille's avatar

Joy report: singing along to Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes with my family on the way to the zoo and then the next day In Christ Alone being the Communion hymn which had been our offertory hymn at our wedding

Cameron Bellm's avatar

I love that so much! Music is so often a secret portal to joy.

Laura's avatar

Thank you. This was what I needed to read this morning. The Holy Spirit is at work 🕊️🔥

Cameron Bellm's avatar

I'm so glad! I need it too!