Behind the Sticker: The Rescued Monk

This whole monk cookie jar story started, of all places, on Facebook. I was just scrolling, not even paying attention — and then boom, there it was. A photo of a family garage sale. Not just any garage sale, but one I knew I couldn’t show up to.

My siblings and I don’t talk. After my parents passed, their things weren’t divided the way they should have been. I had been smart enough to ask my mom for a few treasures while she was alive, but I always wondered about the cookie jar. And then, there it was in the photo: the monk. 

I couldn’t go, but my dear friend could. She knew how much it meant to me and rearranged her whole Saturday just to rescue him for me. That small act of friendship turned what could have been another family-drama gut punch into something that makes me smile every day.

Now, the monk sits in my kitchen—not as a symbol of all the messiness with my siblings, but as a reminder of the kind of chosen family that shows up when you need them.

That’s why I turned him into a sticker. It’s not just vinyl — it’s proof that even the messy stuff that could break your heart a little can turn into something worth keeping—a little piece of alchemy: ordinary object, rescued story, extraordinary joy.

And maybe that speaks to you, too. Perhaps you’ve lost a family heirloom. Maybe you know how complicated siblings can be. Or you’ve had a friend who stepped in quietly and did something that meant the world. We all have those random objects that aren’t worth much on paper, but carry the weight of a story. The ones that make us laugh, or remind us we’re loved.

Grab your own Rescued Monk Sticker here — a small reminder that joy can be reclaimed, even from the messy stuff.