I had an outing today as I accompanied my husband to a hospital appointment.

There is always a silver lining to such excursions, fraught as they are with anxiety and stress (him), weakness and pain (me).

We didn’t have far to travel but it was enough to alter my perspective.

Four wall living can become my default mode once Winter sets in.

I aim to get out and about as much as I can manage in the warmer weather, despite protesting limbs and weariness setting in so quickly.

And I was glad of the opportunity to see a change of scenery.

So I took a few photos to file away as memory markers on gloomier days.

Saw an electricity pylon stretching metal arms to a cobalt sky like a praise song.

Watched the interplay of light falling as beams across the clouds, with hints of glory sneaking through.

Marvelled anew at the beautiful, creative display God puts on day after day.

Engaged in a spot of people-watching safe in the confines of the car and shared furtive glances of a waiting room.

The poem below was a result of a few seconds’ glimpse where my imagination pierced through to a woman’s soul.

For there is always more than meets the eye with everything and everyone we encounter.

‘Hidden core’

A pale blue sun-hat

sat deep upon her head

as she marched forward

with fast, determined tread

At odds with the autumnal

coat she loosely wore

reminiscent of tides,

ice-cream, sand and distant shores

Her eyes turned downward

as she pounded city streets

No betrayal of emotion

in her persistent, plodding feet

Yet in the corners

of her heart there washed

a sea of thoughts and words

inexplicable, unseen,

unvoiced and unheard

Just like each one of us

she had a hidden core

where pain and sorrow mingled

and joy sat at the door

A place of whispers, shouts,

an appalling weight of tears

A place of silence, doubts,

where she carried secret fears

©JoyLenton2014