how does this little face make you feel for me it’s immediate joy in its purest
for me it’s immediate joy in its purest
for me it’s immediate joy in its purest form when was the last time you felt
form when was the last time you felt
form when was the last time you felt like her when we were children we felt
like her when we were children we felt
like her when we were children we felt this sort of joy naturally it was
this sort of joy naturally it was
this sort of joy naturally it was spontaneous it was raw and it was
spontaneous it was raw and it was
spontaneous it was raw and it was without fear of judgment it’s my belief
without fear of judgment it’s my belief
without fear of judgment it’s my belief that joy is within all of us and
that joy is within all of us and
that joy is within all of us and sometimes to feel it within yourself you
sometimes to feel it within yourself you
sometimes to feel it within yourself you must first give that same feeling away
must first give that same feeling away
must first give that same feeling away to others when I think back as a child
to others when I think back as a child
to others when I think back as a child my earliest and fondest memories of
my earliest and fondest memories of
my earliest and fondest memories of feeling joy were the summers I spent
feeling joy were the summers I spent
feeling joy were the summers I spent with my sweet grandma Freda performing
with my sweet grandma Freda performing
with my sweet grandma Freda performing simple acts of kindness for her like
simple acts of kindness for her like
simple acts of kindness for her like tending to her endless flowerbeds now I
tending to her endless flowerbeds now I
tending to her endless flowerbeds now I will admit I didn’t necessarily love
will admit I didn’t necessarily love
will admit I didn’t necessarily love spending the humid summer days digging
spending the humid summer days digging
spending the humid summer days digging in dirt well my brother and cousin
in dirt well my brother and cousin
in dirt well my brother and cousin seemed to get off the hook but as I
seemed to get off the hook but as I
seemed to get off the hook but as I recall I didn’t complain and maybe I
recall I didn’t complain and maybe I
recall I didn’t complain and maybe I complained once I’ll just tell you that
complained once I’ll just tell you that
complained once I’ll just tell you that but and I think it’s really because
but and I think it’s really because
but and I think it’s really because these small seemingly insignificant acts
these small seemingly insignificant acts
these small seemingly insignificant acts were done out of the love that I felt
were done out of the love that I felt
were done out of the love that I felt for my grandma and more importantly the
for my grandma and more importantly the
for my grandma and more importantly the joy that those simple acts brought to
joy that those simple acts brought to
joy that those simple acts brought to her I distinctly remember how my efforts
her I distinctly remember how my efforts
her I distinctly remember how my efforts brought a soft and sincere smile to her
brought a soft and sincere smile to her
brought a soft and sincere smile to her face and I felt the most fulfilled in my
face and I felt the most fulfilled in my
face and I felt the most fulfilled in my life when I’m cultivating those moments
life when I’m cultivating those moments
life when I’m cultivating those moments of joy for others now as life would have
of joy for others now as life would have
of joy for others now as life would have it I am NOT the carefree little girl I
it I am NOT the carefree little girl I
it I am NOT the carefree little girl I once was I grew up and that sees some
once was I grew up and that sees some
once was I grew up and that sees some harsh realities of life like anxiety and
harsh realities of life like anxiety and
harsh realities of life like anxiety and depression and a lot of self-doubt I’m
depression and a lot of self-doubt I’m
depression and a lot of self-doubt I’m sure many of you here have faced similar
sure many of you here have faced similar
sure many of you here have faced similar challenges and somewhere along the way
challenges and somewhere along the way
challenges and somewhere along the way that joy seems to slip lower and lower
that joy seems to slip lower and lower
that joy seems to slip lower and lower on the list of priorities
on the list of priorities
on the list of priorities sometimes even feeling out of reach it’s
sometimes even feeling out of reach it’s
sometimes even feeling out of reach it’s easy to take joy for granted because
easy to take joy for granted because
easy to take joy for granted because forget just how important it is to our
forget just how important it is to our
forget just how important it is to our well being I believe joy is a basic need
well being I believe joy is a basic need
well being I believe joy is a basic need and it’s universal to each and every one
and it’s universal to each and every one
and it’s universal to each and every one of us so why don’t we give joy more
of us so why don’t we give joy more
of us so why don’t we give joy more often well I think that’s because it
often well I think that’s because it
often well I think that’s because it takes a concerted effort on our part not
takes a concerted effort on our part not
takes a concerted effort on our part not to let the stress and responsibilities
to let the stress and responsibilities
to let the stress and responsibilities of life harden us because for everything
of life harden us because for everything
of life harden us because for everything that joy offers it does require two
that joy offers it does require two
that joy offers it does require two things from us to be vulnerable and
things from us to be vulnerable and
things from us to be vulnerable and number two to risk opening our hearts to
number two to risk opening our hearts to
number two to risk opening our hearts to share that with others so that is what I
share that with others so that is what I
share that with others so that is what I did I made a conscious effort to share
did I made a conscious effort to share
did I made a conscious effort to share my joy with others little did I know all
my joy with others little did I know all
my joy with others little did I know all of those summers digging in the dirt
of those summers digging in the dirt
of those summers digging in the dirt with my sweet grandma would plant the
with my sweet grandma would plant the
with my sweet grandma would plant the seed for hope blooms a flower recycling
seed for hope blooms a flower recycling
seed for hope blooms a flower recycling project I created that repurposes
project I created that repurposes
project I created that repurposes flowers from special events like
flowers from special events like
flowers from special events like weddings and funerals we have created
weddings and funerals we have created
weddings and funerals we have created and delivered more than two thousand
and delivered more than two thousand
and delivered more than two thousand bouquets to community members who could
bouquets to community members who could
bouquets to community members who could just use a little extra joy in their day
just use a little extra joy in their day
just use a little extra joy in their day from hospice patients to nursing home
from hospice patients to nursing home
from hospice patients to nursing home residents to women staying at the
residents to women staying at the
residents to women staying at the emergency shelter at the YWCA we are
emergency shelter at the YWCA we are
emergency shelter at the YWCA we are delivering small bouquets but I believe
delivering small bouquets but I believe
delivering small bouquets but I believe that we’re creating a lasting feeling
that we’re creating a lasting feeling
that we’re creating a lasting feeling for those who need it most like Caroline
for those who need it most like Caroline
for those who need it most like Caroline the wife of John a hospice patient
the wife of John a hospice patient
the wife of John a hospice patient Caroline teared up when her husband
Caroline teared up when her husband
Caroline teared up when her husband received a bouquet of white roses just
received a bouquet of white roses just
received a bouquet of white roses just like the bed of roses in their backyard
like the bed of roses in their backyard
like the bed of roses in their backyard he lovingly cared for before he became
he lovingly cared for before he became
he lovingly cared for before he became ill she said the flowers lifted their
ill she said the flowers lifted their
ill she said the flowers lifted their hearts during a difficult time and she
hearts during a difficult time and she
hearts during a difficult time and she took that bouquet and placed at her
took that bouquet and placed at her
took that bouquet and placed at her husband’s bedside where he could smell
husband’s bedside where he could smell
husband’s bedside where he could smell the roses the joy that first bloomed the
the roses the joy that first bloomed the
the roses the joy that first bloomed the summers working in my grandma’s garden
summers working in my grandma’s garden
summers working in my grandma’s garden lives on in the community we’re creating
lives on in the community we’re creating
lives on in the community we’re creating for others and it’s become even more
for others and it’s become even more
for others and it’s become even more special and significant for me with her
special and significant for me with her
special and significant for me with her recent passing there is a true magic in
recent passing there is a true magic in
recent passing there is a true magic in offering unexpected
offering unexpected
offering unexpected of kindness compassion and joy whether
of kindness compassion and joy whether
of kindness compassion and joy whether that’s to a close friend or complete
that’s to a close friend or complete
that’s to a close friend or complete stranger something as simple as writing
stranger something as simple as writing
stranger something as simple as writing a thank-you note giving somebody a
a thank-you note giving somebody a
a thank-you note giving somebody a compliment or simply looking them in the
compliment or simply looking them in the
compliment or simply looking them in the eyes and smiling because ordinary acts
eyes and smiling because ordinary acts
eyes and smiling because ordinary acts can have extraordinary meaning they
can have extraordinary meaning they
can have extraordinary meaning they bring light to the darkness creating a
bring light to the darkness creating a
bring light to the darkness creating a more inclusive and brighter place for
more inclusive and brighter place for
more inclusive and brighter place for each and every one of us to live don’t
each and every one of us to live don’t
each and every one of us to live don’t listen to that doubt that says it’s not
listen to that doubt that says it’s not
listen to that doubt that says it’s not your place or it could be awkward or
your place or it could be awkward or
your place or it could be awkward or perhaps you’ll make time later imagine
perhaps you’ll make time later imagine
perhaps you’ll make time later imagine for just a moment if all 2,000 of us
for just a moment if all 2,000 of us
for just a moment if all 2,000 of us here today made it a point to create one
here today made it a point to create one
here today made it a point to create one tiny moment of joy for someone else that
tiny moment of joy for someone else that
tiny moment of joy for someone else that is the kind of place I want to live how
is the kind of place I want to live how
is the kind of place I want to live how about you
about you
about you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
”
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