BringJoy Hits: From the Vault..Love From Key West

In this special "Hits from the Vault" episode, Joy shares her personal favorite from the Bring Joy archives. Originally released in May 2021, this lyrical love letter to Key West captures the quintessential summertime vibe of the southernmost island. Joy describes the piece as existing "somewhere between a postcard and a poem," which perfectly captures what living in Key West feels like—a blessed reality she never takes for granted.

A whispered "Buenos dias from Cayo Hueso" opens the door to an intimate portrait of Key West at daybreak. Through lyrical storytelling, we're welcomed into a world where the scent of neighbor's Bustelo coffee mingles with the sight of mangoes hanging "like delectable bombs" from laden trees. This isn't the Key West of tourist brochures—it's the living, breathing island community where roosters roam free as a testament to history, and locals work "seven straight" days to afford life on "the rock."

The episode takes listeners through Joy's creative experience, referencing Elizabeth Gilbert's concept from "Big Magic" that inspiration searches for receptive creators. When it found Joy that morning, the result was a vivid journey through Key West at daybreak: 75-degree weather, seagulls competing with pelicans, the scent of neighbors' Bustelo coffee, mopeds heading out for Cuban bread, and trees heavy with tropical fruits. Through evocative language, we experience the unique colors, sounds, and rhythms that define island living.

Whether you're revisiting this beloved episode or discovering it for the first time, "Love from Key West" offers a perfect summertime escape. Listen in, and may "the breeze be at your back and the sunshine fill your path." Drop a review, share and subscribe for more content that brings joy to your life. You can also follow Bring Joy on YouTube or visit joynulisch.com for more inspiration.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Bring Joy Vault Series
• 0:35 Origin of "Love from Key West"
• 1:06 The Creative Process Explained
• 1:43 "Love from Key West" Poetic Reading
• 4:16 Closing and Call to Action

Transcript

Joy: 0:02

get ready to dive back into some of the absolute best. I've opened up the archives and handpicked our most popular and all-around favorite episodes for a special series I'm calling bring joy hits from the vault. Whether you're a long-time listener, ready to relive those classic moments, or a new fan, curious about what you might have missed, these are the essential bring joy episodes. So sit back and relax and enjoy these hits from the vault. If I had to hand pick a favorite, if you really twisted my arm, love from key west would be it. Originally released in season 2, may of 2021, just in time for summer, and as long as I have this, I'll share it this time of year because to me, it's the quintessential summertime vibe of Key West, the island I love so much. And when you hear it, it should feel somewhere between a postcard and a poem, which is what it's like living in Key West, my blessed reality. That's not lost on me, and if it ever became so, I promise to move along and go live in the woods. The other reason I love it is because, as a writer, it's one of only a few times I've written a piece that came to me Seriously, from start to finish, maybe an hour. From the moment I opened my door that morning and heard the first plane take off from the airport, the words started coming to me in chunks, as if it was already written and I just needed to move my pen.

Joy: 1:31

Elizabeth Gilbert talks about this in her book Big Magic. She says inspiration is floating around looking for a creator. If you're ready, it'll find you. If you're not, it'll move along and find someone else. I'm glad I was ready and could share love from Key West with you. I hope you like it as much as I do. Shout out to all my teacher friends from Key West to Key Largo and all the places it's summertime. Thanks for tuning in.

Joy: 2:03

This podcast is all about bringing joy Through storytelling and conversation. I'll drop some thoughts on the life lessons I'm growing through. You'll be inspired and entertained. It'll be time well spent. I promise you that. So sit back and relax. Let's do this thing.

Joy: 2:23

Buenos dias from Cayaueso, key West for the gringos 75 degrees, the sun's just waking too soon for baking. The seagulls and pelicans fighting for air time. It's nice and breezy. Keep the boats close and the windows open. Que rico? I smell the neighbors' bustelo and there goes Cousy on the moped, headed to the corner for Cuban bread. The trees full up with alligator pears and mangoes hanging like delectable bombs, the pointeanna and royal blue.

Joy: 2:49

Time for the kids to say adios to the classrooms. I hear the rev of the first twin engine of the day, plane full of tourists don't want to leave vows to come back and make their own glass menagerie. Leaving is hard and living here ain't easy. Nod to the neighbor headed to work seven straight, whatever it takes to live on the rock, not the third from the Sun, the southernmost one, first generation or fifth, don't matter to me. Fresh or salty, that corn pride is strong, strengthened by summer storms so wicked we don't repeat their names. And speaking of call, crayola, time the colors get renamed names. And speaking of core Crayola, time the colors get renamed hibiscus, red, frangipani, yellow, ficus, brown, poinsettia, orange, bougainvillea, burgundy and key lime green, key west pinks.

Joy: 3:33

The coconut water to drink. That's breakfast for the kids. Rocking that kw lid, no cover for the black beans while they soak a pot of feed the whole family. Even if you broke core pirate for some gooper fillets, he got the freshest. These days the roosters roam free. We leave them. Be respect to the ancestors. The fighters only left cages for the ring where wahido bet 40 hours worth of paper and the big spenders with this full of cash. They earn that from snatching brown sacks. But that was yesterday. Like a bike ride down memory lane, no need need to look back. Today's the day, a perfect one. May the breeze be at your back and the sunshine fill your path. Much love from Key West.

Joy: 4:16

I'm Joy Nulisch and I appreciate you tuning into my podcast. My purpose is to bring joy into my life and the lives of others. If you enjoyed this episode, drop a review, share and subscribe, because there's a lot of good stuff on tap. You can also follow bring joy on youtube or check my website at joynewlishcom. Now go, bring joy to the people in your world. Until next time. Much love.