Found Happiness (poem)

John 15:11 - "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

The journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step,
but most of us, with every breath,
wonder if we're done yet.

Scenery passes us by like sand
within an hourglass,
and if we were to turn around,
we'd remember less than last.

Happiness, it seems, is fleeting
as the trees along a road.
We're so worried about the end
we see the middle as a load.

I don't buy a book to read the prologue
and then the very last page.
I don't buy tickets to arrive hours late
to a performance up on stage.

Even in the mucky parts of life,
home, friends, and family,
our steps are light when we focus on
the flowers, not the brambly.

An uphill path gives legs greater strength
to run, laughing, down the slope.
A wrong turn can help us find a friend,
who, through the rough, will help us cope.

As I perched upon my bed, pondering
my life gone by,
I realized that, while things are hard,
my smile comes without try.

Sure, you may have nine hundred miles
to go or maybe even more,
but if you pause to appreciate the trail
your steps will be more sure..