Joys in the World

A lovely, simple dinner with a good friend last night, sharing updates big and small, laughing together, admiring each other's cooking (and cookbook reading!) talents, pulling on the threads of a long friendship that keeps us bound even when we don't spend time together and cherishing those hours we do get. 

A daughter home for a few days. Hosted a buoyant family breakfast of bagels and coffee and stories, wedding plan updates, grandparents and grandchildren deep in relationship. Basked in a Sunday cozied on the couch with our laptops and lists of things to do, hanging out with us because most hometown friends have left the hometown, the three of us clicking away at work but clicking together with our snacks, laughter, and cat naps. 

Neighbors standing up for neighbors. Posting protective signs in our local coffee shops, collecting food in our independent book stores and filling the little free pantries. I am learning more about abundance, collectivism, letting go of old beliefs and creating better worlds of care, light and love. 

Planning a celebration, a big "zero birthday" on the horizon and finding ways to use that celebration to gather for good, to make connections across decades of my life, to share books (always, my love language!) and to build hope.

Finding these "glimmers" and using them as fuel to make more joy in the world.