Discover joy in the hard places

Welcome to the blog of JP Mills where you will find encouragement and belonging through reflective journaling and poetry.

Joyful Ruins

Discovering joy in the hard places

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  • Roots

    I looked up this question today: why do some plants have shallow roots? I was not thinking about plants at all. I was thinking about people and my relationships with them. I was wondering why they could not go deeper with me or with themselves. Why there was a wall for themthey could not pass,… Continue reading

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  • Often Used, Rarely Seen

    People have often used my goodness and dismissed my soul They have always known how to channel my helpfulness or land safely in my kindness but the things that make up me are not welcomed downright odd and deserve ridicule I find myself otherwise invisible used or ridiculed Yet still I am me and always… Continue reading

  • More than Words

    Where is the poet? Crowded out by noise and action She sees but can’t fully feel There isn’t space She hears but can’t fully listen There isn’t time She needs these: Space Tine Feeling It is where her seeds are watered and begin to blossom It is where the darkest night inside her becomes speckled… Continue reading

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  • Knitting Safety

    Feeling safe after trauma does not happen all at once but in steps like the knitting of a blanket to cover you or the building of a bridge to cross Sometimes it may come instantly with certain people who already feel safe Through hugs or words or presence but most of the time it will… Continue reading

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  • Kindred Spirits

    Kindred Spirits

    I seek companions who notice the stars Those wildflower investigators and wondered-eyed bug observers Companions who pause to watch a bird a snail Who stand in awe as they look up at any tree Who trace the edges of a cloud marveling at their mastery These kindred spirits are of my kind living quietly among… Continue reading

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About Me

An obsessive journaler who loves meeting others along their journey and giving them a hand to hold through pieces of writing. I write about the heartbreaks of life and the joys, the ups and downs, and I often learn my greatest lessons and miracles from nature.

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