A List of Things I love

One of my favourite contemporary poets died this month. This poem is inspired by Andrea Gibson's love of life. They wrote this post in March: A List of Things I Love. They also said, "In the end, I want my heart to be covered in stretch marks." After reading that post, I was compelled to consider the ordinary things that I love, and to remember to let what I love make me who I am (not what I don't love, or what doesn't love me). 

My (short) list of things I love:
I love mornings, sunny and fresh and full of possibility. I love laying in bed, hearing Chip downstairs. I love vacations with friends, sitting around on the dock for long hours with nothing more to do than talk and swim. I love being held by water, floating on its swells and gazing at the sky. I love family reunions, remembering who I belong to and where I came from. I love listening to birds and pulling out my Merlin app to figure out who is filling the sky with song. I love walking through the shaded forest and seeing the sunlight open up over Laurel Creek. I love a cup of strong coffee on the back deck. I love picking up our CSA veggies and knowing they are lovingly grown by a friend. I love finding fireflies in our backyard. I love foraging for berries in our neighbourhood. I love wild flowers at the side of the road. I love smiles from strangers. I love old friends and shared memories. I love slowing down to make things with my hands. I love learning to laugh at myself.