I Choose Joy

Morning finds the cracks
in everything,
Pours a little gold
into the gray.

Somewhere in the branches,
a bird still sings,
like the dark could
never steal the day.

I can feel the sorrow,
I can name the pain,
but I won’t let either
have the final say.

I see the evil in the world today
I’m not naive or pollyanna.

I wear black,
I feel the pain,
but it doesn’t defeat me!
I hold on to love
I hold on to love

I call for my Beloveds,
I dance in the rain!

Johnny said there’s things
that aren’t just or right
and Lord knows
the world needs changing.

I see it, I feel it,
but still I call out for love
with my eyes wide open,
with my whole heart showing!

I choose joy even when the road is hard,
I choose love even with a broken heart.

Every breath is a gift,
another chance to give
back to the world
that taught me how to live.

When the night says
hope has been destroyed,
I and I choose love,
I and I choose joy.

The river keeps on moving
past the stones,
The roots hold on
beneath the fallen leaves.

And every hand that
reaches for my own
reminds me there is more
than what I grieve.
Love holds me in its embrace
Love commands me
to care for others,
to radiate loving kindness,
to handle life’s
most difficult moments
with grace.

I will mourn the losses,
but I know why I’m here…
to serve, to care
to act, to love
to not give up…
until we are free
from fear and oppression…
until love wins,
until love becomes easy…
until love is how we tell time.

There is a gentle loving kindness
no fear can erase.

There is a light
we carry forward
from the ashes
to show the world
forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

With my eyes wide open,
With my whole heart showing—

I choose joy when the road is hard,
I choose love with a broken heart.

Every breath is a chance to give
back to the world
that teaches us how to live.

When the night says
hope has been destroyed,
I and I choose love,
I and I choose joy.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Let joy be my rebellion,
Let love be my reply.
Not silence, not surrender—
A flame I keep alive.

For every wound, I’ll plant a seed;
For every tear, an act of peace.

I will sit with you
I will march with you
until the world knows peace

The world gives its heart to me,
So I will give mine back.

I and I choose joy
when the road is hard,

I and I choose love
with a wide-open heart.

Every breath
is a chance to give
back to the world
that taught us how to live.

We are more than
all that’s been destroyed—

We choose love,
We choose joy.

With our eyes wide open,
With our whole hearts showing—

We choose love.
We choose joy.

ahhhhhhhhh

We choose love.
We choose joy.

ahhhhhhhh

We choose love.
We choose joy.