How Many Times

If I would count the joys that came into my life,
I'd say they were quite few and they were hardly found;
But maybe I was wrong because I failed to count
the blessings I've received which are great joys from God.

Sometimes these joys came short or after a bad start,
At times they were achieved after a  bitter fight;
There were just a few times when happiness was found
and stayed for a long time to color my dim life.

There were more pains than joys, more hardships on the way,
I felt they were endless, at times I felt betrayed;
I wanted to just stop and meet my tragic end
to trials and failures I thought I couldn't bear.

But fear of God prevailed, somewhere I saw a light,
I gathered little hopes along the lonely path;
I felt some inner strength beneath my weakened heart,
I heard a tiny voice, "Get on and live your life".

Now I have a close look at how life really is,
I picture a river with its flow and current;
Some parts of it- shallow, some parts are really deep,
Sometimes it runs so fast, sometimes it is timid.

Let's learn to be content with what little life brings,
Keep these to ourselves, be grateful they still came;
If life brings little joys, be thankful just the same,
No happiness come yet, just hope it's on the way.

So it's not how many or how often joys come,
But it is how we hold our happiness on hand.
Be thankful when it's here, be hopeful when it's gone
that it may come again perhaps some other time.