A Year of Seeing: January 13: “On Joy (or to the heart of all things)

On Joy (or to the heart of all things)

When I was a child, I once saw my grandmother
laugh so hard that she threw her head back
as she clapped her hands together.

I have never been the same.

Joy can smooth the furrowed eyebrows of
A burdened heart so that, even with just a
slightly opened space in my chest, I can feel the
Spirit breathing in me and through me.
It is no small thing.

Give them the gift of joy and wonder
In all your works.

Joy is not ignorant or neglectful of the
pain of the world–of each human life.
Joy sees all and calls me back to a
posture of trust that reminds me of hope.
It is no small thing.

All of us go down to the dust;
yet even at the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Joy is not a sugar high that we lose
in a moment’s time or at the first encounter with
even a slight stumble or bruise.
Joy plunges deep to the heart of all things–
to the heart of all things.
SH 1/13/2020