Finding Joy in Everything

Emma A. of Bayside High School shares a GlamourGals experience that opened her eyes to the opportunity for joy in every slice of life.

During one GG Senior Home Visit, I sat with a lively woman in her 80s with silver hair pulled back in a neat braid. We were making beaded bracelets together, which is a simple activity, but one that turned into something much more meaningful. Something that she used to do with her daughter. Somewhere in between stringing our beads, we were talking about her memories with her daughter, my hectic school week, my basketball games, her husband's football fangirl moments and then, we eventually started laughing at how much I was struggling to tie a knot in my completed bracelet. 

She then looks at me and tells me to never miss out on the things that make me feel alive, as even the small moments matter. That piece of advice stuck with me: I’d been so focused on big goals and constant motion such as school, internships, college, and basketball, that I forgot how healing it can be to slow down and be present. This woman reminded me that joy doesn’t always come from accomplishments. Sometimes, it comes from connection, from creating something with your hands, from simply being with someone. That bracelet sits on my desk now. She taught me that presence is powerful. That even in moments stitched with unease and stress, there’s space for color, softness, and joy.