image via Rennett Stowe
Last week, Sami brought my attention to the unofficial official Joy Rebel week. Brandi is the original Joy Rebel, but she’s spreading the *ahem* joy internationally and globally, and today -July 1st- is the first day.
I love this idea of being a Joy Rebel, and I love the idea of having a whole week celebrating it. To me, it sounds like a whole week of being mindful of what you’re doing and finding the joy in whatever that may be. While I don’t have anything special planned for it yet, a couple thoughts come to mind.
First, I do have the very best theme song for this week…
It’s Donna Fargo’s Happiest Girl in the Whole USA. I’ve written about this song before and mentioned that if I ever make a soundtrack for my life, this song would be on there. I think I’ll make it a point to listen to this song at least once a day this week.
The second thing that came to mind was Tent City…
Before kids, on two different occasions, I participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer walk, where participants walk 60 miles in 3 days to raise money for and awareness of breast cancer. Walking 60 miles in 3 days is exhausting and sleeping in tents along the way doesn’t help, but the experience is one I will never forget.
Besides the thousands of walking participants, there are hundreds -if not thousands- of volunteers who cheer us on, prep and serve our meals, pass out snacks, and so much more. Everyone sleeps in Tent City.
image via lu lu
To walk around Tent City is unlike walking around any other community I’ve ever been in. Everyone is your friend. Everyone smiles at you. Everyone helps you. Because you’re all in it together.
It is the most joyful environment I have ever witnessed.
The second time I participated, I experienced a bit of Tent City culture shock. The day after the 3-day event, I found myself walking up and down the aisles of my local grocery store, in a slight state of confusion. I didn’t understand why people weren’t smiling. It never dawned on me that I wasn’t in Tent City anymore, and that I was a smilin’ fool, smiling at every person I passed. Here I was, smiling at the old lady over the tomatoes, smiling at the gentleman in the beer aisle, and smiling at the young mother in the dairy section. They all looked at me like I was cuckoo. Upon realizing my faux pas, I immediately stopped smiling.
In celebration of the unofficial official Joy Rebel week, I’m bringing out my Tent City smile. I’m dusting it off and removing the cobwebs. It’s available to all and it’s free of charge. It may cost me a little bit of my dignity, but who cares. Life’s for the living, and what good is a smile if you don’t share it with others?!
If you are interested in reading about or participating in the unofficial official Joy Rebel week, you can visit Brandi here or read about other participants at the Joy Rebel Day Blog Party.
This post has also been shared with A Beautiful Life series, a place that provides weekly inspiration.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Kirwin, I love it! Bring on the tent city smile. I read/saw somewhere that a smile given by a stranger stopped a lady who was the victim of domestic violence from taking her life. It was the only form of kindness she had experienced for a long time and was the difference between life and death. We never know who we’re smiling at and how much it’s needed. A reminder to not underestimate the power of a smile even if it isn’t reciprocated.
Thanks for spreading the joy too. xxx
love this. pass the smile on : )
I’m part of the Joy Rebel Blog Party too so wanted to stop by and say hi. Your post is very inspiring! I can only imagine the energy flowing through this soulful tent city. What a blessing to be part of it. I’ve bookmarked you and will stop back. In the meantime, have a joy-filled week! May you be happy…
@ Sami~
It’s true — we never know how much a smile can mean to another person. Thanks for telling me about the Joy Rebel party!
@ Denise~
Smile it forward, baby!
@ jan lundy~
Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. Tent city was one of a kind — too bad every city is not like it.
It is amazing how working toward one goal brings people together.
Can’t we harness that concept somehow and reduce crime?
I cannot imagine how tired you must have been at the end of that event. I know how exhausting our Relay for Life was. But fun!!!
Becky K.
Hospitality Lane
Very inspiring, thanks so much for sharing it today!
This is great! We used to go on camping trips with tons of people- I would have a sort of ‘let down’ afterward because I was so used to everyone being happy the moment you came out of the tent in the morning- some early riser was always tending to the breakfast fire, happy to have someone to greet. the atmosphere of community was something I missed.
I live in a mountain community where everyone is usually quite friendly- so in that regard I am lucky. I am a optimist by nature- so happiness is something I generally just fall back into (if I have a brief time of disappointment)
I love the idea of having and entire week where joy is celebrated:)
tent city smile. I love it! this post is so inspiring-I think I’ll smile as if everyone I pass is my friend.
thanks for sharing this post!
@ Becky~
Welcome! I have a friend who just did Relay for Life. Are you in southern california?
@ Melissa~
Thanks for stopping by! I love your blog.
@ Angie~
Yeah, a “let down” is a good way to describe it. It’s just so different when you’ve become accustomed to acting one way, and then it’s switched up on you.
@ Brandi~
Thanks for stopping by! And thank you for being such a Joy Rebel — you’re such an inspiration!
Fun idea! At first I thought Joy Rebellion was going to be about being grumpy all week - ha! Good to know it’s the opposite. I LOVED your tent city story and can’t wait to hear your recap of how your week goes!
@ Danica~
“Joy Rebellion” = being grumpy all week…LOL That would be a horrible week!