Joy

I reach for something I cannot grasp

Slipping through my fingers like sand, like glass

Sunshine through the clouds, feels like i’m not allowed

Do I know what brings me joy?

Dripping sweat, heavy breath, feet pounding on dirt

Holding hands, holding space, as a mother gives birth

Sweet screeches of laughter from little ones’ lips

The presence and power as I’m moving my hips

A crossword completed, another puzzle solved

Reflecting on life & the ways I’ve evolved

Getting words down on paper to express how I feel

Brief moments of clarity when nothing is real

That day at the beach, high on edibles & life

That day in the snow when everything felt right

The first sip of coffee as the sun starts to rise

The second glass of wine when the evening is nigh

The sense of belonging when my siblings are near

When I can make time stop & just. be. here.

Getting lost in a book I don't want to put down

Being there for a sister as she straightens her crown

Bare feet in the woods as I talk to the trees

Knee deep in the ocean with a sweet salty breeze

Unclothed, unbridled, blood of life on my face

The excitement that greets me in an unfamiliar place

The moments in time when it all feels aligned

Losing myself in the joy of the grind

Challenging my body as well as my mind

Instead of searching for things I can’t seem to find

Like clarity, peace, stability

So I choose to notice joy & welcome her in

Despite all the places & people I’ve been

I don’t need to keep her, in fact I cannot

I can only appreciate the moments I’ve got

& pray she keeps coming back to visit

Save her a space

That’s all we can do 

Isn’t it?