Small joys

The gentle sound of rain upon waking. A warm cup of tea while writing. Sharing happy news with far-flung loved ones. A dog’s sweet snore. Learning more, and getting better. A clock, ticking for the first time. Letters in the mailbox, wearing fancy stamps. A new stuffed animal, gray and soft. A gift of hydrangeas, purple and white and blue, sitting in a vase on a clean kitchen counter. A new magazine, remembered in time for lunch – soup, because it’s cold – read, eaten, while wearing slippers. Books on shelves, kale chips from a friend and her garden. Watching a hummingbird make its rounds each morning. The quiet.