Tiny Joys

Photo by Will H McMahan on Unsplash
my tiny joys?
hmm . . .
opening the blinds first thing in the morning
my partner’s warm embrace
the dogs’ attempts to read me with their eye contact
my crows feet in the mirror (a little wiser today)
the crisp focus when i put on my glasses
the chicken’s excitement when i bring them kitchen scraps and my excitement when i collect their eggs
the predictable wave of my neighbor with Down syndrome; i like waving back to her most 
the amazon package on my doorstep
the feel of my pen scribbling ideas on a blank sheet of paper
tasty leftovers for lunch from a previous meal i made myself
the words from my family that are reserved just for me: “guess what happened today?” 
the smell of fresh garlic sautéing at dinnertime
the voices of my cherished ones laughing and talking 
a full belly followed by a little bit of chocolate and peanut butter
another spectacular sunset
my cozy bed
quiet conversations with my love before we fall asleep
wow, isn’t it amazing how
all the tiny joys
add up