Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM
By Deb Schroder
I’ve come to really value small moments of joy. My life isn’t lacking happiness but on many days it gets crowded out by stress. One night after work as I dragged myself through the grocery store I found myself staring at the usual row of healthy cereals that do seem to be made out of cardboard, and the bright, happy face of that leprechaun on the Lucky Charms box called out to me: “Remember me? Remember when cereal was magically delicious?”
I remembered and hid the box discreetly in my cart, underneath the lettuce and bananas. And the next morning with my coffee I had that quirky moment of joy, eating my beautiful cereal. Much like when I see a hummingbird on my patio, or one of my kids texts me a sweet picture of a grandchild out of the blue, or Michael Franti comes on the radio.
On a recent weekend, I carved out some art making hours on Sunday afternoon. And I remembered a big thing that brings me joy, something that art therapists shouldn’t forget: MAKING ART MAKES ME HAPPY! Making art shouldn’t be that unusual for me but I don’t always walk my talk with that concept.
On that particular Sunday I did and it felt great. It wasn’t pretty art or happy art, it was real and responsive to my feelings and thoughts that weekend. What joy mixing colors, such a sensation of losing myself in my work.
Remember, remember, remember – humans thrive with creative expression. And small joys are findable.
About the Moderator
