This unicorn greets us every morning and every afternoon on our walk along the river for school pick up and drop off. Each and every time, my girls squeal with delight. They are big into the unicorns right now. There is some concern and a bit of conversation each time we see it that someone drew on the walls (which they know is not allowed). It’s not a long conversation though because they can’t help but always rejoicing in this slightly demented unicorn that greets them every day.
It’s always there and somehow it’s always a surprise. No one has washed it away or cleaned it up. It’s still there. They giggle with delight.
Joy should be like that.
It could be like that if we are brave enough to welcome it. Joy was what came in the beginning of one of my conversations last week. It emerged from the silence that usually begins this practice of spiritual direction.
It was a surprising joy. Joy can be like that too. It can be full of surprises especially when it seems like it should be the last thing that we are feeling because life is hard and the world is at war and those babies in Turkey. There is so much that causes us to grieve and worry and still joy comes.
It comes unbidden like a poem. This was the poem that came to me as I listened to this dear soul. I read it to her and we just sat there together in wonder because sometimes there are no words and sometimes the right words come. There is joy in this too.
This isn’t an easy dance. I am still learning the steps and struggling even to move my body to move in this way. I am not alone in this. It’s something I find myself inviting others to share in. What if we tried this? What if we just paid attention to when this thing shows up and didn’t overthink what it could be or should be? What if we just welcomed this possibility of joy with gratitude?
I wrote this prayer to give words to this hope. I pray its a blessing to you in all of the unicorn surprises of joy you are finding each day.
One of the things that confuses joy is disappointment. It makes it so dang hard to embrace joy with fullness and so I really appreciated this meditation on giving disappointment its due.
I found the title of this essay more evocative than the article itself. It has me wondering about how love transforms us in every prayer and how we use that love to change the world around us.
If you are interested in spiritual direction and are interested in a first conversation with me, please reach out here or book an appointment here.