Seven years ago, as I lay in a
hospital bed, amazed to be alive, depression knocking on the door, I made a
commitment to find joy everyday. It’s that commitment to joy that lead me to
work at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services years ago. I am the Manager of an art program for
women who are going through hard times.
‘Hard times’ is much more complicated than that very
broad term. We tend to visualize the woman working the streets or men
panhandling at the intersections, and shopping carts with worldly belongings. I
don’t expect an explanation from the women who come to this program but
eventually their story comes out. Stories of illness, lost jobs, lost love, lost
dignity, expensive medication and eventually lost hope. I was surprised to find
out that we have women who had worked in the legal field, military, medical
field, and yes, state workers. Their illness, whether mental or physical, or
income has sapped the joy out of their lives. They’ve come to this place to look
for it among the art supplies.
This has been one of those days that I can only explain as pure
Christmas joy. Monday morning I pack up 2 vans with women to go on a tour of the
EPA building’s fabulous collection of art. One of my students, Judy, came
running up last minute and apologizing for her late arrival. Our tour guides
were waiting and took us up and down the 25 story building to view the amazing
fabric art of Merele Serlin and glass art of Dale Chaholee. The women just stood
in amazement at every turn.
Two hours later we were in the wonderful
1022 restaurant in Old Sacramento. We were seated at a long conference type
table to accommodate all 15 of us for lunch. The women were all buzzing about
the art they had just experienced when the waiter brought bread to the table.
The conversation went softer and soon to a dead silence. There is a sacredness
to breaking bread among friends.
I was seated across from Judy and watched
her slather the butter1/2 inch thick on her slice. All I could think of was how
much fat was on her bread. She took a bite and with pure joy in her voice said,”
I haven’t had real butter in years.” Suddenly the whole fat in butter thing went
out the window. We were all trying the butter and smiling the biggest smiles. We
were instantly transformed into giggling little girls at a birthday party. When
the soup arrived Judy spoke up again and started to explain that her sense of
taste was coming back. She could actually taste the subtle flavors of the
butternut soup. She had spent 20 years on medication and eventually crack which
ruined her sense of taste. For years her idea of a good meal was McDonalds. Judy
in now clean with a new outlook on life and a new job. It’s a humbling job and
I’ve never seen her happier.
The conversations at the table stared up
again and I really took to heart what Judy had said about the sense of taste.
The women sitting at the table all around me have such different stories. We had 2 women in wheel chairs who didn’t want
to miss our adventure. Neither one of them started out in the world in this
condition. One worked as a civilian on the air base where she was severely and
permanently injured. The other woman has Multiple Sclerosis. Each woman has a
story and was eagerly spreading the joy to each other. I have injured military
vets, a medical Doctor who gave up her practice because of her own illness, and
mothers who spent 30 years raising children in this group. Among us is a woman
who had a traffic accident that left her with no job, medical bills and no
insurance.
How did this motley group get to a place
where we could enjoy a tour of some of the best art in Sacramento and enjoy a beautiful
meal where we are treated like princesses? Short answer is that the women earned
it. While I was busy finalizing details for an art show the women had created a
cottage industry to raise money for their program, our program, Women’s Wisdom
Art. When all was said and done and they handed me the money jar, I insisted we
use it to have a fun filled field trip.
Spreading the joy has become contagious in
our classroom. Soon we will gather again for our annual Holiday Tea Party/Gift
exchange. This year I suspect we will be overflowing with joy and giggles as we
all talk about our favorite moments in 2009.
Spread JOY daily, at least ½ inch thick, on everything
you do and watch it blossom.
Merry Christmas.
