The Joys of a School Bus
- Steph
- May 7
- 5 min read
Pitter-patter, the sound of raindrops on the roof. Children laughing and singing. Leaf buds opening up in the spring. A bird song. Ducks charging the sky when they sense a disturbance. The gobble of wild turkeys across the pasture. Oh, the sound of joy.
Many people use the word happiness, interchangeably with joy, but I believe the felt sense of joy is something more profound. Happiness is great, but a sense of joy provides access to your spiritual side. Joy lifts you up and promotes a sense of expansion. Joy is pleasure, radiance and it impacts the people around you. So how do we cultivate more of it in our life and why is it important?
Joy helps the body relax and feel safe. When you are in a place of relaxation and pleasure, your body heals more efficiently, and you become more creative. As highlighted by Maria Roberts and Richard Appiah in their 2025 qualitative study on joy, "Joy is a fundamental yet underexplored emotion that plays a critical role in well-being and happiness."
What you focus on grows so a sure bet for more joy in your life is to begin recognizing it especially in the present moment. For example, I have a daily morning practice of writing down a list of 3 things that bring me joy. The path to cultivate more joy in life is by increasing your awareness of it and bringing in opportunities to experience more of it.
The day finally came when we had a mini school bus parked in our driveway. Loads of giggles and
laughter poured out of the passenger doors. Little feet headed straight for the playground. To say my heart was filled with pride is an understatement. Joy rippled through me the day Florian and I hosted a field trip to our ranch to share and teach about dumping garbage, land restoration and the importance of protecting our waters.
Our well is completed, and the topsoil was recently put back on. The land was ready for the next
step in healing. Trauma takes a long time to heal whether you are someone who has survived it or the land who held it. Florian and I wanted to make an offering to our land to acknowledge its suffering and bring healing to a place once forgotten and taken for granted.
We invited the 2nd grade class up to see the dump site, share pictures of what Florian dug out from beneath their excited, little toes, and plant native wildflower seeds. Our goal was to give the gift of song and joy by inviting the class to sing songs just in time for May Day. We aimed to anchor joy in a place that needed it. Florian and I wanted to acknowledge the past, carve out a brighter future, and give praise to the land and water we are now stewards of.
The kids were handed pictures showing mounds of metal and plastic baling twine. We discussed all the harm that can come from dumping, especially plastic and burying an engine and transmission. Afterwards, their small but mighty hands were given a paper cup with seeds in it and very loose directions to plant the seeds any way they saw fit. The scar from digging and excavating provided a clear boundary to plant within. My heart lifted at the variety of planting methods; some kids used the scatter method, some dug very elaborate switchbacks and carefully placed their seeds inside their S-curve, and others dug a hole and tossed all of their seeds in one blob underground. I chuckle with anticipation and eagerness at the thought of how all these flowers will grow. Oh, I hope they germinate and grow!
After all the cups were empty, the kids took turns looking down the wellhead into a dark cavern. Echo echo echo… Thankfully, as spring rolls on, the water level is rising. We have an infiltration well which is about 25’ deep. To bring things to conclusion, their teacher walked them in a circle at the edge of the scar as they sang songs of joy, hope, and spring time. The circle was complete and the activity was over. It was time for lunch.
We walked a different way back to the playground; a long dirt road that loops behind and below the homesite. The road is partially finished and narrows into a small trail before linking up with the road that heads back to the playground. Florian and I have spent hours cleaning up rusty metal pieces on the back of this hillside. Years passed reflect the ever-so-common burning barrel used for garbage disposal.
My heart melted as kids ran up to me, “Ms. Stephanie, we found some more garbage.” Ms Stephanie, here is some more junk.” Their caring hands collected more piles of junk and metal. I swear, one day, this hillside will be declared free from garbage. Every time when we think we have the back of this hill cleaned up, more is found. The kids really understood the lesson. I felt their excitement each time they ran over and handed me another piece.
A dream came true that day. Our pain turned into a source of pleasure as we watched an entire generation of kids be awe-struck by the photos and heavy machinery it took to remove all that garbage, metal, and plastic. It was joyous and fervently mirrors a Northumbria University study claiming “Joy was understood to manifest not only in major life events but also in seemingly insignificant moments, often linked to connection with others, nature, and one’s authentic self.”
The small moments add up to something called life. Like links in a chain, the ones that emphasize strong emotions create history and a catalog of memories. I hope more and more moments in my life and yours are cradled with joy. This was an opportunity that Florian and I created to initiate more joy from an experience that has been incredibly challenging. To this day, I maintain my joy journal and look to nature for comfort and solace. The more you look for it and focus on joy, the more it comes to you.
Over the weekend, Florian brought me out to my garden to show me something magical. I didn’t believe him when he told me I was growing a peach tree in my garden! I never planted a peach tree in my garden! Alas, this little nugget had exactly what it needed to open itself up and grow. Nature gifted me with this precious little peach tree exactly one week after the field trip. Divine timing could
not be more perfect. This morning, I walked out to my garden, leaned down, and whispered, “good morning.” Yes, ahem, I talk to my plants.
Joy is growing in my garden, and I hope it is growing in your life too. Please write in the comments 3 things that bring you joy today.
1: my husband, 2: my wild peach tree, 3: the ability to turn pain into a source of passion.
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