Chapter 8
A journey with joy
June 2026 | Paintings 41-45 in My 100 Dresses
Chapter 8 | June 2026
The Story
There is a journey with joy experienced only by passing through the valley of sorrow. Not because all has suddenly been made right, but rather, despite what is still broken, we discover joy has been with us all along.
It is along this journey that we learn the beautiful and unexpected forms joy can take. She is wildly colorful, audacious, and more humorous than you might think. But most of all, joy is easy to miss until you’ve walked through the darkness. That is how light works. A street lamp at noon goes unnoticed, but a single candle in a window at night can be seen even a city block away.
Chapter 8, “A Journey with Joy,” is both a guide to finding light in the dark and an open invitation to wade into the deep waters of delight.
From the Collection
Fine Art Prints
Chapter 8
A Journey with joy
"Healing with joy"
The Poem
Healing with Joy
Joy slipped her hand
quietly
into mine,
carrying my grief
between our palms,
and led me slowly
into the light, where song birds harmonize
and willow trees dance,
where dogs greet strangers on the street
and banana-cream-cake simply exists.
I wondered,
How can I accept these pleasant delights
when so much of the world–of my world
still burns?
She whispered,
“Perhaps delight is not a luxury,
but the secret to healing a heart
in desperate need
of hope.”
- Andrea Jacobsen Poetry
"The Light of Joy"
The Poem
The Light of Joy
When fireflies appear at dusk
and stars glitter across an evening sky,
when the moon dances over the ocean
and we share a meal over candlelight,
we are reminded
that no matter how heavy the world may seem,
joy has never been afraid
to accompany us
into the dark.
- Andrea Jacobsen Poetry
"The Audacity of Joy"
The Poem
The Audacity of Joy
The audacity of joy
is that she feels no need
to justify her presence,
nor does she question
whether or not she belongs,
she simply assumes
the right to bear arms
of good tidings and silly delights,
of mischief and, dare I say,
frivolous shenanigans.
- Andrea Jacobsen Poetry
"Blooming with Joy"
The Poem
Blooming with Joy
On summer mornings,
when a thunderstorm rolls in,
look for joy at the window.
She will be waiting there,
quiet and content,
inviting you to remember
that it’s not all on you
to make
the whole world bloom.
- Andrea Jacobsen Poetry
"A Spark of Joy"
The Poem
A Spark of Joy
Sometimes the only way
joy can reach a person
who is hurting
is through the arms of a stranger.
So be resolved to carry your joy
with reverent duty,
always ready to share
a moment of wonder
and silly mischief
because joy has a tendency
to catch fire,
and you never know the blaze
that may come
from a single spark of
shared laughter.
- Andrea Jacobsen Poetry
A Note
from the Artist
Thank you for taking the time to experience Chapter 8, A Journey with Joy! What is unique about this collection is that it was directly inspired by the process of creating the previous chapter of artwork. In Chapter 7, I spent months interviewing women who have all walked through some of the darkest experiences imaginable. I needed to know how they survived. One thing that each of the women carried with them was a remarkable and contagious joy. They laughed generously and encouraged others without reservation. It was as if joy itself had woven itself into these women. Their lives largely inspired this collection. I hope this chapter reminds you to delight often in the good things of life, and when the hard times come, to remember that joy has never been afraid to accompany us into the dark.
- Andrea Jacobsen
