Poem About Being Content, Humble, and Joyful

Great Expectations

Joy can seize us
in the lowliest of places,
perhaps even easier
than in the loftiest ones.
Humble eyes are open wider
than those of great expectation, 
those muted of exultation
and closed to the blessings
that abound in the ordinary - 
it's commonness makes it no less miraculous.
It's easy to see the glory
of God stepping out
of the darkness of a cave. 
Far harder blind, perched upon 
an idolatrous mountaintop of our own making.
Great expectations cannot bring joy
for they are contingent on the false hope
that joy can be gained
from obtaining anything
of worldly worth.
Happiness is fleeting;
joy remains 
though the seasons change - 
in both the harsh, winter cold
and the warm, summer sun.
A joyful heart shoots for the stars
but is content if the Universe
wills for it to remain on Earth.

Justin Farley

Soul Notes – Poems and Reflections

If you’re searching for meaning in a world that feels too busy, too loud, too dominated by endless scrolling, Soul Notes is a place to feel heard. A few times a month, I send reflections on nature, mental health, and spirituality. Words to carry with you.