Castles in the Sand

What is joy? I asked myself.

What about the pain in my life?

Is joy to put it all on a shelf,

And pretend my heart contains no strife?

But that would be artificial,

For joy is not the denial of pain.

Life may not seem all that special,

But abundant life is far from plain.

Genuine joy is camaraderie with God-

To walk through life hand in hand;

To share it all, for denying pain is fraud.

It's sitting with God at a beach, making castles in the sand.

Joy is the realization of Love,

To know nothing better than this Friend;

Who to die on earth below left His home above,

To enjoy me for eternity without end.

It's returning this gift of love-

To fight for the One Who holds me in His Hand;

To look on His Face with the eyes of a dove,

To be in His presence and make castles in the sand.

~Khaitlin Critchfield