the magic of Being

Somewhere along the way
to Getting and Staying Better,
I began to live.

I began to exist
in the moment,
for the present,
noticing the small seconds ticking by,
the way my breath went out, came in, went out, came in.

I found myself taking moments,
micro-meditations
where my hands would settle at my sides
and I would notice

a cloud drifting
the sun on my skin
a slow blink
the sink of soft sand as I stepped forward
a spoon in a pot, stirring
the purr of a cat
the curl of a wave
a bird in a tree, dipping its small beak into blossoms
a snoring dog, legs twitching as he ran in his dreams
a wooden floor on bare feet
children talking
children laughing.

I found I spent more time making eye contact
saying thank you
saying thank you
saying thank you.

I noticed the power of a hug. How two can become one, and how—whether it's a friend, a child, the love of your life—a hug can realign your spirit into Better in the space of 2-10 seconds (the approximate length of a regular hug, not counting those long hugs on couches with a beloved child on your lap, still smelling of sleep, their hair tousled and tickling).

On this path to Being Better,
I have
woken up.

And my favourite feeling?

The feeling when you notice,
you are still here.

You get to be alive
on this breathing, feeling earth.

You get to share and give and care and love and breathe,
for as long as you are here.

The feeling
is miraculous and divine.

It hits me,
each and every day now.

In the smallest moments, and in the large,
in the moments I share with others,
in the things I get to give
and in the slow sweet seconds I spend
on my own.

I feel it,
and tears come to my eyes, all the time,
all the time.

I am so
grateful,

and
there is
so much peace.