When I was young, it was the little things that made me happy: watermelon scented markers, rubber ink stamps and gold speckled bouncy balls.
Of all my favourite things, stickers were at the top of the list.
Fuzzy stickers, sparkly stickers, puffy stickers, shiny stickers- every type of sticker: it didn’t matter, they all made me smile.
Some stickers had google eyes that moved around when you shook the sticker. The fanciest were scratch and sniff, hologram or even 3D stickers.
The “You can do it!” stickers and the “Job well done” stickers. The reassuring-sparkly-smile-looking-back-at-you sticker.
When I was young, I had a piano teacher who gave me a sticker at the end of every lesson. As I rode home from my classes, I would carefully admire my newly acquired prize. It was as if each sticker invited me into a new world.
Every time I received a coveted sticker, I carefully peeled it and laid it onto my sacred sticker book (a photo album entirely dedicated to my collection). I would revisit my book often, admiring these exquisite masterpieces.
I had forgotten all about stickers until a recent experience that reminded me of the importance of these gluey gems.
My friend has two precious girls under the age of three. When I asked if I could bring something for them, she replied, “If you want to bring stickers, that’ll get you in the good books.”
And she wasn’t kidding. The gift was met with pure glee as each girl took a sheet of stickers and went to town.
The older one proceeded to plaster shimmery circle stickers all over her face. When she was done, she could barely move her mouth due to the sheer volume of adhesiveness she had placed on her cheeks and chin.
The younger one gently pressed her brilliant star stickers onto any person, animal or surface she encountered. Days later, I was still finding stickers she had covertly placed on my sweater.
I now remember what excited and delighted me about stickers. Stickers are more than stickers: they are an extra bit of dazzle, affirmation and love.
Why do we drift away from these things that once brought us joy? I don’t know. Maybe it’s because it’s less sensible to place stickers on your face when you’re an adult. Maybe it’s because it seems impractical. Maybe it’s because stickers seem like an unnecessary, non-sensical expense. Maybe it’s because it takes too much time to place stickers on people, surfaces and work documents.
But, there’s a reason why stickers make us so happy. They spark joy within the core of who we are. They add whimsy and delight to our days. They add a refreshing element of colour and brightness to a dull world. They tell us we’ve accomplished something, even if that something is just being who we are.
It’s neat how spending time with children can remind us of what once brought us so many smiles.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to buy some stickers.
Jane, I love this. Such a good reminder. I think I need more practical, tangible joy in my life!
Hey Chantelle! Oh yes. It’s those little things that bring little bite sized pieces of happiness.Funny how quickly we can forget!