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.

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Episode Transcript

Joy (00:02):
get ready to dive back into some of the absolute best.
I've opened up the archives andhandpicked our most popular and
all-around favorite episodesfor a special series I'm calling
bring joy hits from the vault.
Whether you're a long-timelistener, ready to relive those
classic moments, or a new fan,curious about what you might
have missed, these are theessential bring joy episodes.

(00:24):
So sit back and relax and enjoythese hits from the vault.
If I had to hand pick afavorite, if you really twisted
my arm, love from key west wouldbe it.
Originally released in season 2, may of 2021, just in time for
summer, and as long as I havethis, I'll share it this time of

(00:45):
year because to me, it's thequintessential summertime vibe
of Key West, the island I loveso much.
And when you hear it, it shouldfeel somewhere between a
postcard and a poem, which iswhat it's like living in Key
West, my blessed reality.
That's not lost on me, and ifit ever became so, I promise to
move along and go live in thewoods.

(01:06):
The other reason I love it isbecause, as a writer, it's one
of only a few times I've writtena piece that came to me
Seriously, from start to finish,maybe an hour.
From the moment I opened mydoor that morning and heard the
first plane take off from theairport, the words started
coming to me in chunks, as if itwas already written and I just

(01:28):
needed to move my pen.
Elizabeth Gilbert talks aboutthis in her book Big Magic.
She says inspiration isfloating around looking for a
creator.
If you're ready, it'll find you.
If you're not, it'll move alongand find someone else.
I'm glad I was ready and couldshare love from Key West with
you.
I hope you like it as much as Ido.

(01:49):
Shout out to all my teacherfriends from Key West to Key
Largo and all the places it'ssummertime.
Thanks for tuning in.
This podcast is all aboutbringing joy Through
storytelling and conversation.
I'll drop some thoughts on thelife lessons I'm growing through

(02:10):
.
You'll be inspired andentertained.
It'll be time well spent.
I promise you that.
So sit back and relax.
Let's do this thing.
Buenos dias from Cayaueso, keyWest for the gringos 75 degrees,
the sun's just waking too soonfor baking.
The seagulls and pelicansfighting for air time.

(02:32):
It's nice and breezy.
Keep the boats close and thewindows open.
Que rico?
I smell the neighbors' busteloand there goes Cousy on the
moped, headed to the corner forCuban bread.
The trees full up withalligator pears and mangoes
hanging like delectable bombs,the pointeanna and royal blue.
Time for the kids to say adiosto the classrooms.
I hear the rev of the firsttwin engine of the day, plane

(02:55):
full of tourists don't want toleave vows to come back and make
their own glass menagerie.
Leaving is hard and living hereain't easy.
Nod to the neighbor headed towork seven straight, whatever it
takes to live on the rock, notthe third from the Sun, the
southernmost one, firstgeneration or fifth, don't
matter to me.
Fresh or salty, that corn prideis strong, strengthened by

(03:18):
summer storms so wicked we don'trepeat 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.
The coconut water to drink.
That's breakfast for the kids.
Rocking that kw lid, no coverfor the black beans while they

(03:40):
soak a pot of feed the wholefamily.
Even if you broke core piratefor some gooper fillets, he got
the freshest.
These days the roosters roamfree.
We leave them.
Be respect to the ancestors.
The fighters only left cagesfor the ring where wahido bet 40
hours worth of paper and thebig spenders with this full of
cash.
They earn that from snatchingbrown sacks.
But that was yesterday.

(04:01):
Like a bike ride down memorylane, no need need to look back.
Today's the day, a perfect one.
May the breeze be at your backand the sunshine fill your path.
Much love from Key West.
I'm Joy Nulisch and I appreciateyou tuning into my podcast.
My purpose is to bring joy intomy life and the lives of others

(04:22):
.
If you enjoyed this episode,drop a review, share and
subscribe, because there's a lotof good stuff on tap.
You can also follow bring joyon youtube or check my website
at joynewlishcom.
Now go, bring joy to the peoplein your world.
Until next time.
Much love.