I reached in and pulled out a bulky, oddly wrapped package. A few seconds later, the tissue paper strewn in my lap, I was staring at a bright pink sequenced disco hat. We all laughed as I put it on and jumped up to show off some of my best(?) disco moves!
I loved opening my Christmas stocking every year. When I was a young child, I loved all the little treasures and treats that were stuffed inside. As I grew into an adult, the tradition of opening a stocking continued and my delight and wonder never faded. Next to Santa 😉, my Mom was the best and most creative stocking stuffer! Every year, when I thought she couldn’t outdo the previous year, she would do it and I was always amazed at what she would think up to put in our stockings.
Mom isn’t able to do stockings anymore and I admit that I miss them but I am also grateful for having received the gift of them.
I believe in wonder, magic, beauty and possibilities. I am inspired by and always in awe of people’s creativity. I find delight in the smallest of things and I am always on the lookout for treasure and beauty. I think that my Mom awoke these qualities in me by expressing her own delight, wonder and creativity as she gathered treasures for our stockings year after year.
I feel like this is the power of joy and self expression. It can open up and inspire others to connect with their own forms of joy and self-expression. My Mom never sat me down and explained to me how to develop wonder, delight or creativity – she just modeled it by putting together the most eclectic mix of whimsical, beautiful, useful, weird and hilarious stocking stuffers. I don’t know if she ever questioned her choices or worried about whether anyone would raise an eyebrow at the “suitable-ness” of her stockings, I just know I am grateful for the example she set.
Do you keep your creativity hidden or freely express it? Are there activities or interests or passions that you hold back because it might not be judged favorably by others? Are the people around you missing out by you not following your joy? What if their wonder and delight needs to be awakened by you?
The winter solstice invites us to release the old and come into the light. Who might be inspired by you bringing your gifts into the light? I think the world could use more creativity, magic and light…what do you think?
Photo by Mira Kemppainen on Unsplash
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