I’ve been working on two different, more serious, articles but the world gets heavier day by day. Pushing my brain to focus feels counterintuitive when self-care is a priority, and I yearn to float above it all. This slow Sunday morning, Andrea Gibson’s “A list of things I love” popped up on my Substack feed like a breath of fresh air. In the spirit of finding silver linings, I present “A list of delights.”
I delight in my dog’s frantic joy while waiting for my neighbor to open her door so she can play with her best puppy friend. Her tail wagging faster than windshield wipers in the pouring rain, paws reaching up to scratch at the door as if she could pull open the handle.
I delight in the shared evening routine of settling into bed to watch a TV series with my daughter, both of us drifting to sleep while the dialogue continues.
I delight in the reels I can call to mind at any time of tiny joyful memories. Glimpses of a friend pulling on my shirt as I walked away to turn me around for one last hug. The sound of gleeful cheering during a freestyle dance. Coming around the bend to find a rushing green waterfall after a long, winding hike. The weightlessness of being enveloped by a body of water. Hot tears of joy that lurch from my chest as a full auditorium gives my daughter a standing ovation for her performance.
I delight in finding a new favorite song. How Dominic Fike’s 3 Nights brings me back to a particular happy moment driving through LA. How SZA’s Good Days took me to another realm of consciousness during my back tattoo. Harmonizing to Billie Eilish’s Wildflower during long car trips with my daughter. Adele’s Someone Like You forever reminding me of singing to my daughter as a baby before bedtime.
I delight in the sounds that ring through our hall of my neighbor laughing and dancing with her son. In the friendly chatter of dog owners around the neighborhood as their pups check each other out, and how my social life has expanded because of it.
I delight in the first warm days of spring when everyone comes out of hibernation and skin meets the sun and in the first cool days of fall when we pull out our sweaters and embrace feeling cozy.
I delight in how you never know when you’ll catch a glimpse of a truly incredible moon or a mind blowing sunset, because it depends on being in just the right place at the right time.
I delight in the creativity on full display on Halloween, when both kids and adults have full license to be whoever they want to be for a night.
I delight in group chats with friends sharing recipes, funny memes, favorite playlists and thought-provoking podcasts.
I delight in the subtle magic of baking – how mixing a few key ingredients and adding heat leads to a full-on sensory experience of biting into a hot, sweet, cushiony, fragrant bread, cake or cookie.
I delight in the persistence of community in an increasingly fragmented world, whether through social media, planned in person events, friendly neighbors, or simple conversations while buying bananas.
I delight in singing karaoke with my daughter and how she has discovered the soothing joy of singing that kept me afloat during my youth.
I delight in fashion that juxtaposes tough and sensitive, like a long lacy skirt with combat boots, a tulle dress with a leather jacket, or noticing when punk rock guys change up their earrings.
I delight in public art that exists to make a statement or solely to brighten an otherwise ordinary day and spark creativity.
I delight in poetry that combines words in new ways, turning an ordinary moment into an extraordinary idea.
I delight in small businesses that curate passions and gather people with common interests.
I delight in the leaves in a forest – the way the sunlight turns them shades of bright green and the way the raindrops cling to them and sparkle. The feel of grass underfoot and the sound of a creek or a river rushing over rocks. The salty, healing water of the ocean, like our own tears and sweat.
I delight in bench plaques, small symbols of loving memories.
I delight in elegant glassware for no reason, like drinking water out of a wine glass.
Yes, there’s a lot these days to bring us anger, sadness, frustration and these feelings are critical for affecting change. But when the world feels too heavy, make your own list of delights, because the silver linings are always there when you look for them.
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