So Much Joy

She had known much happiness and not a little pain
that she had always sought,
until the last,
successfully to overcome.

Her children had given her so much joy . . .
The light that shone from her eyes
when she observed
her son or daughter
doing something precocious or outrageous
or simply
brilliant,
was a joy to behold.

She had married three times
but each one ended well
and each one, for much of the time, had brought her much joy.

And at the end of her days
she had known much happiness

And perhaps that is the most
anyone can hope for.