Have you ever had a favorite pair of jeans?  A pair of jeans that you could wear everyday, if you thought no one would notice.  A pair of jeans soft and worn from the years?  A pair of jeans that you would mend or patch a hole just to keep them in the wardrobe?

            I am a keeper of favorite things.  I do love the idea of passing things along, that they may bring comfort or joy to whomever awaits.  But a favorite pitcher, a beautiful bowl, a cuddly sweater or pair of jeans may make the cut of joy season after season. 

            I recently said goodbye to a pair of jeans that were probably 15 years old.  They carried with them memories of the fun day with a dear friend when I bought them.  I will not go into the details of our break up, my jeans and I, but thank goodness for long shirttails and good friends.  We’d had a good run.  It was time to let go.  No mending, no patching things up, just a clean break, “Thanks, you’ve been great… Goodbye.”

            Then there is the pair of jeans which I have just patched for the sixth time.  There is no memory of a special trip, no price tag that states, “must wear 600 times to break even,” no special design or stitching.  A basic jean from a basic catalogue.  What makes me patch these jeans yet again?  Why have I held them so dearly and long?  Was there a joy attached from the seamstress who sang softly as her skilled hands stitched on the pockets and secured the seams?   Was the cotton from a field where the sun shone warmly, the water was plenty and the farmer grateful for a bountiful crop?  Was there a joy sent from someone’s first day on their first job packing the jeans and sending them my way?  I’ll never know but I will probably patch them again before we are through.

            Everything in this life has energy.  We share energy with people and things that we encounter, no matter how briefly.  If they are cold and prickly, we may withdraw.  If they are smooth, warm and beautiful to behold, our spirits may be lifted.  Our response to the energy from the encounter, be it joyful, woeful, angry or grateful, will reverberate and morph as we encounter others.  Throughout our lives we are the cold and prickly or the warm and beautiful.  When we are joyful all those around us may share in that joy.  If we are sad and angry we may affect the world in the same way. 

            I believe, like Tony’s cologne (yet another story), our feelings and behaviors will resonate in the environment and linger after we are gone.  If we leave a room angry, people entering after us may feel uneasy.  If we have shared laughter and loving words, when we leave, those who follow may sense their spirits lifting. 

            I will never know what these jeans experienced before arriving on my doorstep, but I am grateful for the years of simple joy and comfort they have provided.  Like my jeans, I want to resonate a simple joy, comfort and acceptance for all that I may encounter.  I know that I will feel pain, sadness and disappointment at times, that comes with this life.  It fills my heart to realize that the joy and gratitude I feel as I create here in my studio, is imbedded in each creation and will resonate, I hope, for those it may encounter for many years to come.

Joy and gratitude,

Bella