notice joy

Bright, bursting, bubbling over

Uncontainable, uncontrollable

It’s getting what you’ve always wanted

Feeling your fingertips brush against it

Holding it in your hand

Bringing it to your chest

It’s a thousand fireworks going off 

Starlight falling around you like rain

Instead of loud booming

there’s only a soft tinkling as you watch colors surround you

It’s hard, soundless laughter that steals your breath 

but fills you with something even better

Like you’re a balloon

and joy is your helium

It’s sandy toes and sandy smiles

and not caring about sandy butts

It’s a cannonball into cool water on a hot day

and surfacing to the sound of laughter

It’s waking up to the sunlight instead of a ringing alarm

and smiling because you want to

It’s fuzzy socks on rainy day

and the steam of your tea tickling your nose

It’s dancing in your empty apartment to your favorite song

and jumping around until your hair sticks to your forehead

Joy is small, except when it’s big

Joy is quiet, except when it’s loud

Joy is mine, except when it’s ours

Joy is indescribable and joy is everything