Yard Sale of Thoughts

In our search for holiday sweets, my daughter and I found these delightful small candies with perfectly formed designs inside. Take a peek.

It’s the way they roll them, she said. I suppose it’s true, but it’s the intricacy that really shocks me. So much time and effort put into a tiny piece of candy. One that will quickly melt in the mouth and be gone forever. The meticulous labor and the love of the craft, these virtues really encapsulate Thailand.

Tomorrow, my daughter and I will teach together for the first time. We have crafted a fun lesson on snow and the illusive snowman, things many of our students have never known. For students here, life is hard. Change requires patience. But like my students, I am learning to savor the subtle flavors of each moment. Whether it’s in a classroom or a taxi or a street corner, waiting is no longer a worry but an invitation to be awake.

These candies don’t look like much. Homemade ones my family used to make back in Virginia when I was a kid. My mom and grandmother cracking the sugary surfaces like panes of glass. They’d let me sprinkle confectioner “snow” over each of the colorful pieces. And, when all the varieties were made, I would place them in a mason jar and attach a holiday ribbon. I remember thinking they looked just like a collection of sea glass, all those colors and flavors together. Their beauty really was in their variety, not in their perfection.

I sure miss their simple taste.

We would gift these jars to neighbors and coworkers. As corn syrup candies, they dissolved quickly, but they’ve lasted much longer in my memory. Something about being resilient. Being patient. Giving, even when what you have to give seems insignificant.

This year, I have learned something about sharing. To gift to even one other person something sweet when the world seems bitter and filled with hate. To me, that tiny morsel is the true meaning of joy.

I wish for you a sweet holiday season filled with moments you can savor.

~Katie

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Cover Art: Plant Your Happiness