27 ~ a new journal
26 ~ scissors, paper & glue
25 ~ sacred spaces
24 ~ arms open wide
23 ~ empty cardboard boxes 
22 ~ poetry
21 ~ special charms
20 ~ red letters
19 ~ stained glass windows




18 ~ old homes
17 ~ an abandoned trail
16 ~ story
15 ~ bare feet
14 ~ a soft place to fall
13 ~ changing seasons
12 ~ scribble
11 ~ handprints everywhere
10 ~ broken book bindings 



9 ~ an opened window
8 ~ a heart on the mend
7 ~ keys on a typewriter
6 ~ fireflies at dusk
5 ~ birds soaring through the sky
4 ~ room full of laughter
3 ~ big brown eyes
2 ~ breath of life
1 ~ a rested soul

3. The gift of finding meaning in the things that would otherwise go unnoticed

2. The beauty of the rhythm of seasons changing

1. For the first time I’m beginning to be thankful for discontentment that surfaces in me, although it is a battle everyday, i have a physical reminder to face my interior struggles and feel the strength that comes from true growth…for others, the unresolved is certain to remain hidden behind the smiles of another day, left unchanged.


The Real Joy Secret ...  i return here to the place of deep healing for me ~ these were my first 3 gifts