12 May A Little Happiness for Hard Days
My favorite booth has long been the Seeds of Happiness at the Yellow Daisy Festival held at Stone Mountain. The quirky arts & crafts festival has a tent full of brightly-colored, tiny, clay smiley faces. This always makes my day.
The artist, Mark Borella, is a sculptor, photographer, and painter. He started making the seeds when a friend’s young son became ill with cancer. Knowing that there was nothing he could do or say, he crafted a handful of smiles. Later, he started giving them to friends in need and before long an unexpected business was born. Although he still gives away many for free! It’s inspiring to read about someone who is finding so much joy through his work.
I love this story. I have certainly experienced being at a loss for words when someone is in tremendous pain emotionally and/or physically. A small, sincere gesture can go a long way in offering a break from suffering when someone is depressed or grieving.
The imperfection of these silly little smiley faces is touching. A lot of the work I do is centered around the negative impact of perfectionism on self-worth, passion, and creativity. The little faces started out from Mark’s left-over clay. They are not perfectly formed but just right all the same which can offer a lesson in self-acceptance.
What brought this on? I am re-ordering my own Seeds of Happiness. When I opened my practice I finally had a reason to have a jar of colorful smiles. They are there for any client or colleague who needs a little smile to help them through a hard time.
Kate Murphy, LMSW
Kate Murphy, a therapist in Berkeley Lake, specializes in helping you decrease stress and anxiety. You can live a more balanced, connected, and meaningful life. Kate works with individuals and couples over the age of 18 to support healing, communicating, and experiencing joy more often.
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