Someone wrote me an e-mail the other day.
It was wonderful.
I laughed out loud.
I laughed so hard my pumpkin spice coffee sloshed all over the counter top.
Joy filled my heart and carried me through the day.
So…..writer of that wonderful e-mail…..
…..I had to re-post this just for you 🙂
In my e-mail I have 31 folders.
Some of them are fancy…..with fancy names.
Like “Recipes I Hope One Day I Have the Courage to Make” and “Promotional Ideas I Should Have Thought Of” and “Stories I Want to Tell Someday.”
Folders so fancy that I want to add $5 dollar words to the titles like “plethora” and “myriad” and “amalgamation.”
Some are reminder folders.
Some folders are things I hope to accomplish one day.
Some are just folders with clever ideas I found.
31 folders…..almost all of them fancy.
Seriously.
So fancy that f you opened them you would know immediately that they were one step away from an Ivy League folder education.
And right between where fancy folder and even fancier folder are having a conversation…
..…there is one a little folder….tucked away where no one would really ever notice.
No fancy title.
No ivy league pretentiousness.Just one small folder….
…..called ‘Notes.”
“Notes.”
Such a simple name for something so wonderful.
You see….when I read a comment or an e-mail or something so extraordinary that I want to remember it.
To treasure it.
To file it away so I won’t forget.
I tuck it away in my “Notes” file.
Sometimes it’s things that are funny. That make me spit out my coffee and make my eyes water and bring out this extraordinarily odd laugh that sounds like those old men who used to sit in the balcony on The Muppet Show.
Sometimes it’s things that make me cry. That bring tears to my eyes because of the sincerity and vision of the writer.
Sometimes it things that make me want to reach across the thousands of miles of blog land and take someone’s hand and say…..you touched my heart today.
And sometimes…
…..it’s something that gives me wings.
But every one of those comments is treasured and filed away because someone somewhere took a moment to encourage, to inspire, or to simply share their heart.
And I want to remember.
Each and every one.
So when storms appear on the horizon.
Or when my day is dark and dreary and I need a glimpse of a silver lining.
When something happens that is cruel or hurtful or mean.
When faced with life’s challenges….I simply open my e-mail and rush past the fancy and fancier ivy league folders to my safe haven.
My little folder called “Notes.”
And I pause…and catch my breath….and then open the e-mails and sit with my pumpkin spice coffee and read and read and read.
And then read some more.
Until my heart is full.
Full to the brim of the words and thoughts and sentiments that someone….in a fleeting moment….took time to write.
And it gives me the encouragement I need to continue on my path.
But now I’m changing the name.
Changing it to something that will make all the fancy folders sit up and take notice.
So that one day they will tell their children about the little folder that could change the world……
……entitled….simply “Joy.”
test
Yes, JOY....joy in the sweet and simple things, like bring able to comment! So glad this wasn't a Christmas post...haha! I'm not ready for that! ;)
kari, as i read this i was thinking i would name my folder "wings". but "joy" is a great one. it is my word of the year every year. i find joy everywhere, everyday: in the morning sky, the evening sunset, and in the kit kat fun size bar i just swiped from my son's halloween stash and now enjoying with my morning coffee!
You are incredibly special. Your writing is deep, meaningful, funny, simple, intense, complex, and beautiful. Thank you for pouring into our lives. Our folders are better for it. Oh, and I love that chair in the first pic. Did you redo it? Did you post a tutorial? Christine
Hey I was hoping for a Christmas post. Bring it on. Pumpkins are in the garbage, time to clearout and cleanup. Bring out all the Christmas decorations, make notes... go for more decorations.... go on Christmas house tours...... Have a great day! Linda
ahhhhh - I love this post and I LOVE Tiffini - she is amazing. Your Christmas pics totally rock!!!!! I LOVE your style.
I LOVE tiffini! her signs are so beautiful and of such amazing quality. :) isn't it so nice when someone takes the time to bless us with their kind words? kindness is something that there is just never too much of. "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Prov 16;24 xoxo :)
I have a little secret to share with you Kar.....I have a folder in my inbox titled 'Karianne'....I'm not kidding! I have several emails you have sent me in the past, that have just been so cheery, so kind, so uplifting, so 'you-go-girl', that I keep them to look back on when I too feel down/bummed/need a laugh! Your post is titled 'joy to the world' and you bring joy to me as a blogger. Now if I had one of Tiffini's stunning signs in my home I know I would have more joy in my home too! Wow - she is so talented! So glad we are bloggy friends- I hope you have a joyful day! Hugs, Heather
Karianne I cannot begin to tell you how much this post means to me. Especially this week...an eventful week, here at our house. I will definitely file it away under notes, joy and thankfulness. Thank you!!
Do you know how much JOY you bring me! Every email, every text, every phone call I have with you and from you is a little piece of warmth and happiness in my life! Love you friend...and rock on with the granola...it will go down in granola photos history! ;) Heather
I love the idea of having a Joy folder. Hugs, Laura
I just don't know what ELSE you can do to make us love you more !!! :) And, I am REALLY wanting a JOY sign just like this but she isn't taking Christmas orders right now....maybe NEXT yr. :(
So lovely, Karianne! I think I need a joy file! The signs are wonderful, too!
Reading your blog is one of the highlights of my day….beautiful!
Thanks...made me laugh too and after all these years I thought I was the only one that got so tickled that I spued what ever happened to be in my mouth across the table or room. Life is good and funny!
Beautifully written as always! Your mantel looks gorgeous. I can't wait to start bringing out the Joy of Christmas decorating!! ;)
I LOVE this... love the art, and love the idea of a 'notes' folder.... I have too many folders that are NOT fun to look through, like one saving all the hate emails from my ex-husband.... bills due.... etc. What a great idea to have one containing only happiness!
When your blog post appears in my email...the subject line says "JOY"....You bring me "joy" each morning..... Now, this morning as I saw the sign with the song, "I love you a bushel and peck"....Tears flowed...and flowed..as my dad used to sing that to me all the time....
OMG OMG OMG love this! beautiful!!!
Hmm, I very recently read this exact same post about the "notes folder" on one of the blogs I subscribe to. I was enchanted by it. I could have sworn it was your blog, but I guess not. Now I'm wracking my brain trying to remember which one. Very often when I read a new blogpost I follow links to past posts, so I can't quite be sure what the post date was, or which blog. I only know it was memorable, and one of the best I've read. Can you share the origin? I always look forward to your blog with my morning coffee. Thank you for starting my day with a warm and cozy feeling.
You bring joy to so many through your lovely blog, writings, photos and projects! You're very special! I love the wonderful signs, especially the one about gratitude Sweet post!
You do have the best signs, so I've gotta spread the JOY around some and pin it. Bliss
I have a special folder too. They are good to have to remind us of the good things. We all need more of that. I really, truly love your writing. You totally rock. xo Colleen
Oh KariAnne, this is a great post. Your writing is so beautiful and inspirational. I think I need a joy folder too.
JOY. That's what this blog brings me every day. YOU are the rock star in my life, Karianne!! I have to admit, I have Pinterest boards like that folder. When I'm feeling a little blue, I look at my "People, Pets, etc." board because it has all KINDS of cute kittens on it, and it just makes me sigh with pleasure when I look at them. Then I look on my "Inspire Me" board and read all the quotes, Bible verses, etc. that make me smile. We all need something that helps us reconnect with that warm-fuzzy-bunny-slipper-and-hot-chocolate feeling, don't we? Thank you for sharing!!
What a beautifully elegant display. I have something similar but I think I need to start a Joy one too.
I'm sorry..... I understand that your notes folder fills you with joy but what about thanksgiving? What happened to giving thanks? It seems like you just skipped Thanksgiving and decided to go wih Christmas. I enjoy your pictures and your decorations but I don't understand why you dedicated this post to "joy"? .....and Christmas signs. A little disappointing. :(
I love that sign! Gorgeous! And your silver decorations are so pretty!
I love people who splash joy all over this dry thirsty world! You use a sprinkler!
Your post brought me JOY today. Wishing you Joy upon Joy!
This is a GREAT post- I need to put some folders up now! What JOY this blog brings to so many!!!!! xo Diana
Beautiful words and a beautiful mantel. Joy is my favorite word in the dictionary - nothing beats it.
your blog, is a happy place. A place to read and think..your writing style is inspirational...thank you ...my comments are filed under three words...one is comfort, the other is inspired, and the third is hope as Hope is my all time favorite
My folder of "notes" was called "Things I want to Re-read" I think I'm going to rename it "Joy". Love your posts.
Joyfully gorgeous as usual! Oh the pressure!!! Christmas...already?? I need to lie down with a glass of wine....don't worry, I use a bendy straw...
Karianne, you ALWAYS touch my heart! Blessings~
I need a folder like this! Especially lately! I am in an emotional funk and need to shake it!! But reading your blog ALWAYS brings a smile to my face!! Thanks Miss KariAnne!
There is no one like you, KariAnne, and it is becoming clearer and clearer to me what a great gift you are to my life. After reading your post today, I had to ponder just what it is about you that makes you stand alone. Your kind and gracious spirit, absolutely terrific sense of humor, childlike wonder and enjoyment of life? Yes, absolutely all those things and more. But what I discovered as I thought a little longer, is that you make my heart feel like my most favorite day of the year...Christmas Eve. That's it! You make my heart feel like Christmas Eve - full of joy, thankfulness, delight and wonder. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for you and for sharing your life with so many of us.
YOU bring ALL of us, your readers and followers, JOY everyday. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joy... the mere word makes me light inside... really. A small word with a HUGE impact. For me joy is my boys.. laughter and fun times we spend together.. that is pretty much daily. Thanks for sharing. You brought me joy :-) ((HUGS)) Gee
Joy seems so much more fitting than that bland "notes" designation ... :)
I am your eternal cheerleader....mercifully, sans pom poms and megaphone
Loved this call it Joy or Happiness or Bliss whatever it is great and I really like that Christmas sign...............
I LOVE YOU. period you bless my heart xo
i am not so ready for this yet, but this makes me get excited to decorate for the holidays. thanks for this idea !