Unbidden

Joy peeks over my right shoulder
and then hides again when I turn to
look. I don’t see her, but I suspect
her presence. She peeks over my left
shoulder; I look swiftly, but miss her,
although I do detect the scent of sunshine.

I turn around, but no one is there.
My eyes narrow. Joy giggles softly,
undetected by my ears, but teasing
the borders of my intuition.

She smiles as she notes the tic now
turning up the right corner of my
mouth. More work to do, she realizes.
She tickles me in my side. I gasp.
She falls backward, laughing, still
silent to my ears, but radiant.

I scratch the affected spot and put
my arms up to preserve my stoicism.
Both corners of my mouth now tug at
my determination. Joy grins at the challenge.

She tip toes to a point directly in front
of me. She sticks out her tongue, makes
a silly face, and giggles helplessly. A
current of fresh air washes over me,
a mixture of pure solace and healing
sunshine. Joy watches my guarded
posture melt. The defenses lower.

I begin to cry at the unbidden release
of pain. She rushes in to embrace me,
understanding, healing, a balm in
the face of many years of

loneliness.

12 February 2009 by Glen Alan Woods