A Letter to Joy
This is Part II of a three part series. For background read Part I: “A Discussion with Sadness”
Part II: A Letter to Joy
Dear Joy,
Please come home. I had a long discussion with sadness, but now is it your turn for us to talk. Joy, I can see why sadness feels the way they do. They are valid, they have reasons to be sad. I know you’ve been off on sabbatical, somewhere far away, always fleeting, trying to make your way home to me. I am trying to consciously make more space for you. Sadness needed a space with me for a while, but I have asked for a break from sadness to make space for you. Joy, you are present when I think about all the people I love in my life. You are present when I think about the friends and family that have been there for me through this, all in different capacities despite the challenges they may be facing themselves. You are present when I think about the paying job I have during these uncertain times. You are present when I think about the roof over my head, food on the table, and the opportunities I have had to put more time and effort into. You are present when I think about the events that sadness has been with me that led me to today, a time where my mom finally had the courage to leave her abusive husband. You are present when I look at my mom today, happier than she’s ever been in my lifetime. You are present as I witness the freedom she has now in the life she never really has had the opportunity to truly live. You are present when I think about the time that I have had to reflect, process, and improve over the past year. You are present when I think about my health and the safety and security I have had during this pandemic. You help me recognize my privilege in life. Joy, you have helped me move the clouds that came with sadness to allow me to see more clearly.
I am so thankful for you Joy, you are the reframing that allows me to keep going. You are the reason I can get out of bed, even though you are fleeting. Every conversation we have, I always leave fulfilled and grateful after. You allow me to be calm, collected, and compassionate. Please come home Joy, I can’t live on without you.
-P ❤
