happiness pursued

“but by morning, joy!”
says the Good Book.

I’ll claim that scripture
for myself

(I hear that works for some people)

as the rich aroma of my
bold
roast
sparks the conscious synapses
of my recently somnial brain.

here, in the hours
where none else stirs

I find it.
It finds me.
It matters not.

Joy is here.

but Joy is not Happiness
Joy is not Jollity

Not Really.

Joy is a sense of well-being,
that all will be well,
and that we are loved.

akin to Peace
but a little more

optimistic.

truly believing
that someone,
something,
can ~
does ~
love me
and makes sense of it all

gives me permission to pause
from all my sense-making

and pursue again ~ anon.

“Some of us believe that God is almighty, and can do everything; and that he is all wise, and may do everything; but that he is all love, and will do everything— there we draw back.”
― Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love

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Psalm 30
Common English Bible

30 I exalt you, Lord, because you pulled me up;
    you didn’t let my enemies celebrate over me.
² Lord, my God, I cried out to you for help,
    and you healed me.
³ Lord, you brought me up from the grave,
    brought me back to life from among those going down to the pit.

⁴ You who are faithful to the Lord,
    sing praises to him;
    give thanks to his holy name!
⁵ His anger lasts for only a second,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Weeping may stay all night,
    but by morning, joy!

⁶ When I was comfortable, I said,
    “I will never stumble.”
⁷ Because it pleased you, Lord,
    you made me a strong mountain.
But then you hid your presence.
    I was terrified.
⁸ I cried out to you, Lord.
    I begged my Lord for mercy:
⁹ “What is to be gained by my spilled blood,
    by my going down into the pit?
Does dust thank you?
    Does it proclaim your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Lord, listen and have mercy on me!
    Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹ You changed my mourning into dancing.
    You took off my funeral clothes
        and dressed me up in joy
¹²     so that my whole being
    might sing praises to you and never stop.
Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible