Ah, joy. That elusive, often misunderstood, yet endlessly sought-after state of being.
And where does joy go when it needs a break?
Well, apparently, it goes to Eureka Springs, Arkansas — a town that’s not so much a place but more like a surreal, Technicolor dream where nature, freedom, and harmony get together for brunch.
Let’s first start with a groundbreaking observation: joy isn’t some abstract concept invented by motivational speakers or Instagram influencers. No, no. It’s right there, all around us, just sitting in the environment like some kind of benevolent stalker waiting to pounce.
Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee, explains that there’s a direct relationship between our surroundings and our emotions. Which is to say, you’re probably unhappy because your wallpaper is beige, and Eureka Springs — well, Eureka Springs is, most certainly, the opposite of beige.
It’s like someone let Salvador Dalí and Bob Ross loose in a small town and then told them to "go nuts."
And speaking of Instagram, let’s address the elephant in the room. We live in a world where if it’s not posted, it didn’t happen, right? And let’s be real, capturing joy is basically an Olympic sport at this point. So, if you’re looking for a muse — somewhere to perfect your carefully curated, joy-filled aesthetic — look no further than Eureka Springs. It’s like the place was designed by the universe to be hashtagged. Every corner, every tree, every Victorian house is practically screaming, "Tag me!" And trust me, once you’ve posted a photo from here, your followers will be so overwhelmed with envy, they’ll either unfollow you or immediately book a trip.
Now, here’s a fun fact: in 2022, Eureka Springs was named one of the South’s Best Mountain Towns by Southern Living. That’s right, the town where freedom and harmony have set up permanent residence ranked No. 5. If that doesn’t make you want to pack your bags and hightail it to this enchanted hideaway, I’m not sure what will.
But don’t worry, I’m not done convincing you yet.
Let’s dive into two more big aesthetics of joy — Freedom and Harmony. No, they’re not characters from a Woody Allen film, though they might as well be. They’re the very essence of what makes Eureka Springs.
Imagine this: you, wandering through the Ozarks, feeling like a character in some old Western film. Only instead of a gunfight at high noon, you’re likely to stumble upon a quaint little café where they serve artisanal lattes with a side of inner peace. It’s the kind of freedom that makes you want to grow out your hair and start referring to yourself as a "creative." And, let’s be honest, renting a treehouse in the middle of this wild freedom — yes, you read that right, a treehouse — is a life choice. Choose it once, and you'll be hooked.
But I digress. The real charm of Eureka Springs is the harmony. This is a town where even the streets have decided to go rogue. Carved into hillsides like they had better things to do than follow a straight line, these winding roads lead you past Victorian houses that haven’t aged a day since the 1800s. It’s like walking through a history book, but one with better lighting and a soundtrack of chirping birds.
And then, there’s retirement.
Yes, the inevitable end game we’re all barreling toward. But in Eureka Springs, retirement isn’t some bleak horizon — it’s the jackpot. I mean, picture yourself in the Ozarks, surrounded by bubbling springs, amazing people and historic architecture, with nothing to do except bask in the joy of being alive. Honestly, it’s almost enough to make you look forward to aging.
So, what’s the takeaway here, folks? Well, first of all, joy is real. It’s out there, hiding in plain sight, waiting for you to stop scrolling through TikTok and start paying attention to the world around you. And if you’re looking for a crash course in joy-spotting, there’s no better place than Eureka Springs. Whether it’s the freedom of nature, the harmony of history, or just the sheer, unfiltered beauty of it all, this town has everything you need to reboot your joy.❤️
More Joy is a blog-series. In these three chapters, we seek to discover the joy already all around us. Joy-spotting is real, it's a thing and there is much joy to spot and experience here in Eureka Springs. In this series. we will take you on a joyful journey around Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/BecauseIAMphotography
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