The Root of Joy
Andrea Rehani-Estes

If, in love, the heart does not deepen
& fill with goodness, love is not true.
The love that calms the inner sea
at its height, is the deepest love.
For love is what makes life difficult;
love is the face of hope which gives
life its meaning. All new things take
root in what is old. Hope dwells inside.
For sorrow is a root of love,
absorbs nutriment and moisture
from the soil of life rich with decay,
& allows flowers of hope to bloom anyway.