Vulnerability & Joy

I was really nervous to get my helix pirceing. I never did good with needles growing up and my pain tolerance is not that high. In high school, I had a friend (who was really into butterflies) try to peer pressure me into getting my ears pierced. I never felt comfortable with her. My boundaries evolved into distance, from both our ends. My close friends now only encourage me because they know it's something I actually want. They were very honest, open and comforting, which their vulnerability in response to mine helped me feel safer. The vulnerability in this moment has already carried me into many other joyous moments with them. How I associated butterflies is starting to transform based on my new experiences. The imagery of butterflies as transformation and growth is resonating with me.

*My friend helped me edit my butterfly artwork on this photo*

*Additional Reflection*

The shirt I was wearing was a remnant of another friendship group where my boundaries and hesitancy resulted in distance forming from both ends. I have really grown more content with letting the caterpillars of friendship morph into something that -peacefully- I can let go of.

oh brother sketch.pdf

This picture I drew is essentially an inside joke. That night, my friends followed my lead and it was a total flop. Thankfully, everyone was good-natured about it and we were able to joke about it. It still gets laughed about today (like when I showed them this art piece). In addition to the vulnerability of taking the lead and subsequently owning up to the flop, there is also the vulnerability of coming from different backgrounds. My friends and I grew up culturally different and have different sets of references. Some of this imagery points to that, and to me it symbolizes how we are willing to listen to the differences. Ultimately though, we have similar dispositions and are able to connect through our humor and finding community with each other.

Pt. 1

My friend and I like to run errands or go on mini outings with each other. This was one of those days. We caught up about on unresolved ghosts of hope (past, present, & future) that appeared over Easter Break. I celebrate how close we have become this last year, and find a lot of joy in hearing and sharing of thoughts and life as our friendship continues to grow in this present moment.

Pt. 2

This beach outing was with new friends I have just met this semester. Ghosts of vulnerability are materializing as solidifying friendships on the nearing horizon. We arrived as the sun was setting and the chill was settling, but we stayed despite that and laughed about our timing. I found joy in connecting with the eagerness present. While the joy was there, it was infused with confusion initially. At the end, it was disrupted by a violent event. I am starting to realize that the tension between joy and non-joy is vulnerability and can quickly change.

Pt. 3

This photo was taken this spring, but is transporting me to the first time I was at the beach. I was new to Milwaukee and my hometown friends were visiting me. Our jokes went too far and became personal. I think it spoke to the transition stage we were each in. The weekend ended on a real bad note, but I look back on that moment and see how far our relationship has come from that moment of hurt. I have been thankful at how these ghosts of the past didn't linger permanently as hurt and unforgiveness, and instead, I have been relearning who my friend is and what they were going through.

two ghosts.pdf

Ghosts

who are these ghosts?

why do they continually appear…

ghost of hope was just a shadow of looming disappointment

joy of closeness, realness, and vulnerability brings impending end

do ends really exist? As I sit here typing, my imagination and reality coincide

how does time of joy blend into the next moment of joy? The next moment of non-joy?

do I believe in second chances?

ghost of skepticism blossomed into a valley of flowers- many dips and nooks, little tiny crannies and plenty of lows,

but the beauty of plenty and intertwining of roots is what I choose to evoke

that shimmering ghost materialized as Joy

just to fade and linger like a cloud on a sunny day

present and full bodied,

or maybe wispy

difficult to tangibly grasp, but easily identifiable

wisps of joy are the wisps of a ghost

trailing

trailing into that next moment, the next high, the next low, the nextness-in-betweenness

are second chances a form of binary thinking??

one two one two one two… participating in the routine march

backwards and forwards… joy propels me yet joy holds me

between joy and sadness-

a remnant of one ghost is present with the other

in that in-between-space of sadness-between-joy

that tension and tightness and relaxing?

vulnerability

Joy in and arising from Reciprocating/Reciprocity

One of my most favorite things in life is ice cream. I genuinely enjoy this treat, and I actively seek it out. In my hometown, usually I would only go get ice cream with my parents. Even though my close friends knew I enjoyed ice cream, our outings revolved around Starbucks or coffee runs. My friends never reciprocated my interests like I did with theirs. Now, my friends go get with ice cream with me, even though that it is not their favorite. I have also become more mindful how I reciprocate, like going on trips to the mall or going for elote runs, but I think those are just smaller things of how we show care and vulnerability to each other.

How does reciprocating vulnerability contribute towards joy?

How does reciprocating joy contribute to vulnerability?

How does symbolism and tangibility operate to show the relationship between joy, vulnerability, and reciprocity?

leons custard sketch.pdf

JOY AND HAPPINESS

IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES -Vanessa Morales

As communities and individuals, we all experience similar joy in the things we do and the memories we share with our loved ones and even strangers! People also have distinctive forms of experiencing joy but it can unite us as well.

What is joy?

Joy is the feeling of happiness! it is a mental and emotional state that makes us feel content and happy!

ODE TO JOY

Oh Joy, how you bring inner peace and happiness

The way you unite people is astounding

The world would not be what it is without you

Oh Joy, you unite communities and bring opportunities

My goal in life is to have you and want you

Oh Joy some might say you're temporary but

The impact you make is never ending.

School Spirit

This picture represents the school spirit MU students have when MU has sport games!

Giving to The Community

I participated in a program from Americorps-414 Fellows as well as my friend Shanith! It was a very memorable experience as we spent time with children and creating activities!

Achieving Goals

As a senior an first-gen college student, I am very excited to graduate and share this achievement with my loved ones and Marquette faculty and students!

THE JOY OF MARQUETTE STUDENTS
As a school community, we share joy with one another. Throughout my journey at MU I created alot of memories which many other students share as well!

MEXICAN FIESTA

A very special event for me and my community is the Mexican Fiesta! At this festival, located at the Summerfest Grounds, it's a celebration of Mexican and Hispanic culture! I enjoy eating the delicious food and watching the lineup, as well as the folk dances and festivities!

CHILDREN

A crucial part of joy in the City are the children! As leaders we get to inspire the children in our communities by being there for them and teaching them to become the future leaders.

FAMILY BUSINESSES

Joy comes from family owned businesses and the support we give to them. Some of my favorite family owned businesses in my community that brings me happines are taco trucks!

VICTORIES

Joy in our community comes from fun events that bring people together! When the Bucks won the championship in 2021, we all celebrated this great victory!

THE JOY OF MILWAUKEEAs the city of Milwaukee, we share joy with one another! Growing up in the South side of Milwaukee has really shaped the person I am as I learned a lot and participated in my own hispanic culture as well as the memories that make up Milwaukee

SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER

Supporting one another brings joy as we unite our voice together without discriminating. It is crucial to let others speak and reveal their identity as it brings us closer as communities.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE

Inspiring young people and all generations to take care of our world for the betterment of society is what will bring us joy not only now but also in the future.

BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

Movements in our community help heal trauma and reveal the internal stress we have. As communities reveal their voices, inspire others to do so too. This movement was an important moment in history as it brought power to bring justice, healing and freedom to black people around the world.

TAKING CARE OF MOTHER NATURE

Taking care of our nature is happiness since we can do it with others and in our neighborhoods. As we celebrate and care for Mother Nature, she will also care for us.

THE JOY OF COMMUNITIESAs communities, we share joy with one another.

BREWCITY CROSSFIT

I fell in love with Crossfit because it not only challenges my physical body but also my mind. Crossfit has its own community! I love hearing people cheer and congratulate each other when we're doing PR's and when we're done with our workouts!

MY FUR BABY-TOBY

Toby, my purebred beagle, has brought many moments of sharing and joy to my family! Although he is a troublemaker and loves to eat a lot, he occupies a big space in my heart. I love spending time with him and playing tag with him!

MY FAMILY

My family is my happiness, they have shaped who I am and have given me wings to achieve my goals. As a first generation student, as well as the eldest, I have a lot of gratitude and love towards them. I am a big baby when it comes to my parents as they have always been there for me.

MY BOYFRIEND

My boyfriend has brought a lot of joy into my life! He pushes me to become a better person and motivates me to achieve my goals. We have done so many fun things over the year and he has been there for me to face my fears such as riding rollercoasters and going swimming!

MY JOY/HAPPINESS!!

MY FAITH

My faith is who I am. It has made me the person I am and it is the central part of all my goals and morals. Without my faith for God, I wouldn't be where I am today. My faith brings me eternal joy, love and happiness.

FOOD

What brings me joy is food! I love eating my mom's home cooked food but my favorite junk food are FRENCH FRIES! Food makes me happy as it has connected me to other loved ones and has created profound friendships!

WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY?!!!!

2023 JOY YEARBOOK!

JOY AND HAPPINESS YEARBOOK

For my artwork, I decided to do a yearbook where every page is dedicated to joy experiences in different places!

THANK YOU! HOPE THIS BRINGS YOU JOY!-Vanessa Morales

This is the Hoan Bridge, one of my favorite places in Milwaukee. I love driving down this bridge listening to my favorite music. I love looking at Lake Michigan on my left; it looks like the ocean and reminds me how insignificant we are. When driving into the city along this highway, you can see the entire Milwaukee skyline; it is especially gorgeous at night. This bridge, the skyline, the lake, and my music bring me incredible joy. Whenever I am stressed, sad, happy, bored, or anything in between, I drive the orange bridge.

Growing plants is one of my favorite things in the whole world. Seeing them grow new leaves or start blooming new flowers brings me so much joy. I especially love propagating my plants. I like to think plants are like humans; growth and blooming happens so slowly it's sometimes hard to tell if they have grown at all. Even growth that happens quietly and slowly is still growth, and it's still just as beautiful.

The moon is always there, growing and fading in light. Throughout all its different phases, it still remains beautiful. The moon serves as a reminder that growth is never linear, and one must go through phases of darkness in order to shine. This picture is a waxing crescent, meaning it has just begun its journey towards a full moon. It is on a journey of growth, just like all of us.

This is a picture of a beautiful sunset. Sunsets are one of nature's beautiful phenomenons that bring practically everyone joy. Like humans, each sunset is unique in its own beauty and radiance. Sunsets remind us that even endings can be beautiful. No matter how wonderful or terrible your day was, the sun will always set, and you can always start again.

JOY

I asked my significant other to paint what brought him joy in his life. I told him not to tell me and to just paint. When I saw his finished product I realized that not many others might be aware of what he painted. To me this was an accurate representation of what brought him joy, which I knew after countlessly watching him become excited about such an event. What brings him joy is the sun that shines after a rainy day.

HAPPINESS

To me, without music there is no happiness. Therefore, I painted a makeshift music mixer. Music radiates a sort of warmth and comfort which is why I added on a sort of sunset but in sun ray form. Additionally, I drew what was supposed to be me with a warm, healed, and happy heart.

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