“Reasons to Live Through the Pain” 

The moon. Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sleeping beneath the stars. Dancing with loved ones. Dancing with strangers. Music uniting a room. A dog welcoming you home. Hearing birds as an alarm clock. Steam rising from a cup of coffee. A slow Saturday morning. A rainy day to read a book. The moment a poem writes itself. Mary Oliver. Learning something new. Loving someone new. A cat making biscuits. A baby laughing. A vinyl spinning. Watching your friends fall in love. Magnolia flowers blooming. Natural light flooding a room. Gardens. Live intimate concerts. Porches. Celebrations. Being held by a loved one. Holding hands. Hand-written letters. Laughter that makes you shed some tears. The curiosity of kids. The magic of creating. Reading other people’s words. Break through in counseling. A soccer team celebrating after a goal is scored. Middle schoolers feeling free to be kids. Brushing your teeth outside after a night of camping. Sitting with loved ones around a fire. The strangers you meet while traveling. Hugs. Slow walks. Farmers markets. A long meal with loved ones. Bread. Bread dipped in olive oil. The smell of lavender. Putting on your favorite pair of shoes. A good glass of wine. Being barefoot in sand. Watching the tide rise. Watching the tide fall. Feeling small in an airplane. Friendship. Music. Poetry.

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Inspired by Suleika Jaouad’s Isolation Journal Newsletter and Prompt 192. centered around Nikita Gill’s poem “Reasons to Live Through the Apocalypse”