“Every day I witness the quiet bravery it takes to begin again. In my work as the volunteer coordinator at Samaritan House Greeley, I have met individuals and families who carry heavy stories yet still choose hope, even when the path forward feels uncertain. Their resilience, their willingness to return, to try again, to trust the process one more time, has deeply shaped me. Ode to the Journey Home, which I wrote for a poetry class I’m taking as I complete my degree while working at Catholic Charities, is inspired by their courage and by the joy that grows slowly and steadfastly as they step toward the next chapter of their lives. I hope you will enjoy it.” – Lindsey Schwartz
Ode to the Journey Home
O Joy that walks in softly,
not loud or careless,
but earned.
I sing of you as you rise
in those who choose hope
day after day.
You are not ignorance of hardship.
You are courage with tired eyes.
You are the decision to stand
when the weight of the world
presses hardest.
I must keep going,
the heart says,
or the weight will win.
O Joy, you have waited
through returning doors,
through humbling starts again,
through the ache of knowing
how close home once felt.
You stayed through setbacks,
through illness and uncertainty,
through nights when tomorrow
had no shape.
You lived in shared spaces,
in planning rooms and hallways,
in early mornings sweeping floors,
serving meals,
offering help before it was asked.
You turned consistency
into strength
and kindness into proof.
O Joy, you learned patience,
saving slowly,
waiting for the right door,
trusting the process
even when the clock felt cruel.
You did not rush what needed care.
You endured.
Now, O Joy,
you stand at a threshold,
keys warm in waiting hands,
a door that closes gently behind you,
a place to rest without fear.
Not just shelter,
but home.
Teach us this:
that progress is rarely straight,
that returning is not failure,
that dignity survives every detour.
That with support,
with perseverance,
with a hopeful heart,
new beginnings are always possible.