SUNSHINE

       The white stuff is gone. There were many folks to greet as I walked in this morning. Joey was waiting for me, "Miss Joy, we're making soup today. What do you want to put in it?"

       "I don't know; let's go see what we can dig out of the stash!"

       We got on our knees in the pantry and dug through two boxes of canned goods. Anything that wouldn't muddy up the soup broth and didn't have pork or beef in it went into the soup pot. Joey had already cut up some potatoes. We added pasta when the boiling was nearly done. We served sandwiches with the soup. When everyone had been fed, there was one tiny bowl of soup left, and Joey made no apologies for taking it. "We sold out, Miss Joy!"

       Mr. Wilson is still there—smiling and eating. Surely it is nearly time for him to get out.

       Emergency vehicles came to the "day shelter" on the street behind ours again today. Joey was glued to the window, "I don't understand why people cause so much trouble in a place that takes them in. I just don't understand it. They shouldn't do that."

       He's a bit depressed today and hadn't taken his anxiety meds because he was high on caffeine and didn't want to mix them. Surely that was why his mood seemed to fluctuate, because he really surprised me when he said he doesn't like the pre-lease folks. "Really?" I was shocked. "They're my favorites! Why don't you like them?"

       "They're bad," he said. "Some of them just really get on my nerves."

       I was behind the warming oven putting together 30 sack lunches while our pre-release ate, when Joey surprised me again. He was asking those "bad pre-lease" folks how they were! And then I heard him giving one fellow his deepest sympathy because no one was going to visit the man this afternoon. Most of them have Sunday afternoon visitors. Joey treats them like his children, but he doesn't "like them?" Maybe there's more here than meets the eye.

       When they'd nearly all left, I remembered my little sweetie, and I asked Joey, "Where is Aaron today?"

       "He just left, Miss Joy. He's really feeling down because he's not going to have any visitors today."

       WHAT?

       "Joey, please get him to come back. I didn't get to speak to him."

       So Joey asked another man to send Aaron back to the dining room. In a few minutes Aaron came in, and I motioned him to the kitchen door. "I need to give you a hug," I told him. "I didn't get to speak to you today."

       He gave me a big hug.

       "I always have a favorite, and my last one left about 3 weeks ago, so I chose you to be my new favorite. You'll have somebody here every week who wants a hug, and I'll be watching you."

       He hugged me again. His face was so precious, and he seemed so pleased to know that somebody was claiming him. We talked about his plans, a job, his talents, future training... he's wonderfully articulate! I was compelled to tell him that he will "never get where he's going," because if that should happen he wouldn't have anything to look forward to, and that life is a process—a journey. For me, that child alone has made this day's journey bright.

       Joey's classes start back tomorrow. He's excited. I'm excited for him. Talk about a journey!