Before I even stepped out of my truck, I could feel his energy: grounded, calm, and full of joy. There’s something unmistakable about Daryl Giles. He carries a quiet kind of happiness that feels warm, steady, and contagious—like sunlight.
Giles learned early on that happiness isn’t something that happens to us; it’s something we choose. A teacher once told him, “You can’t control everything that comes your way, but you can control how you carry it.” That single lesson shaped him for life. “A positive attitude can change everything,” Giles says.
Now, in the hills around Dripping Springs, Giles harvests the tall, pale stalks of the sotol cactus—strong but light as air. From each one, he handcrafts walking sticks, sanding them smooth and coaxing new life from what the land leaves behind. Each piece is unique, marked by nature and made with patience.
Giles carries a few of his handcrafted walking sticks wherever he goes, ready to give them to anyone who might cross his path. Many of those he meets are veterans; some are elderly who could use a little extra support. He never accepts payment, saying that giving is what fills his heart, and a price would only dull its shine. Each exchange leaves him with a smile and a renewed commitment to spreading love and kindness.
“Picture your heart as a pocket,” Giles says. “Fill your pocket with happiness, and then give it away.”
You can also find a small collection of these walking sticks at Desert Door in Driftwood. But the sale isn’t the point. Every dollar Giles earns goes right back into making more, so he can continue giving them away. His happiness lives in the giving.
Each stick he creates is a reminder that joy is light, strong, and meant to be shared. And each gift expresses the quiet truth of kindness: It’s not planned or measured, but lived.
“Picture your heart as a pocket. Fill your pocket with happiness, and then give it away.” - Daryl Giles