Sunday, May 14, 2023

Joy seeping through


I recently started rereading one of my favorite books: Champagne for the Soul. It’s one I really clung to when I had cancer, and I’ve read it several other times. Now my paper copy is at home in Kherson, but OpenLibrary comes to the rescue again. I read a little each day. Here’s just one sentence from a few days ago: 

“Sometimes joy is what seeps through the cracks when our hearts are breaking." 

Joy was my main feeling all through the time of occupation. Yes, it was often mixed with fear. Yes, there was a lot that was terribly hard, but I had peace and joy inside. Since we’ve left home, it’s been different. Everything is dark. There’s nothing I have to do now, and I’ve just been sad. But my book is reminding me that joy can mix with sadness, and maybe the joy is actually leaking through the broken places.

2 comments:

Mom said...

Praying that joy begins seeping through again...and that the drops become a rivulet. Love you deeply.

Sharon T. Markey said...

This is such a beautiful sentiment! I'm so glad that your reading is reminding you of it. It makes me think of a Japanese pottery technique where the potter purposely breaks the vessel and then puts it back together with a glue that contains a precious metal. The result is a stunning work of art that never could have come into being without the breaking. I hope this sort of beauty will come from your current experience.