- The bittersweet opportunity to cook bacon and eggs (and the fluffiest pancakes) for my family on Sunday mornings.
- Living with my dad again in a house full of guitars.
- Snuggling with my kids in bed on a Tuesday night while watching Wall-E and eating a massive bowl of buttery popcorn.
- Every day, getting to choose how I’m going to handle my pain, what I’m going to do with it (after I let myself feel it), and how much I’m going to let that pain transform me.
- All the field workers who bust their asses to sell a few boxes of strawberries for some cash to feed their families. (Tus fresas son deliciosas!)
- Bakery-fresh pumpkin rolls and, yep, you guessed it, a hot cup of joe.
- Second chances.
- A toasty place in November to warm my heart and lick my wounds safely.
- Waking up next to my daughter’s beautiful sleepy face and remembering my “Why.”
- You.
- My son telling me that he loves me before I can say it first.
- Dancing with my kids to “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice and laughing our heads off.
- The most affordable rent I could ever have hoped for at this shitty time in my life.
- Hot showers and extra blankets.
- Amazon Prime.
- Pumpkin pie.
- My overwhelmingly supportive cycling-enthusiastic friends.
- Taking the high road. (once again)
- My buttery and bright Orangewood guitar.
- The unbelievable opportunities that have presented themselves post-divorce.
- The fiery courageousness coursing through my veins when I (finally) stand up for myself.
- Hearty home-cooked meals in my belly and sharing a home with my Mom and Dad again (especially when my heart is heavy with sadness from missing my kids.)
- Making breakfast for dinner.
- Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley for the love, magic, and pain relief they contributed to the world.
- Making love to lots of different people. (Better late than never, hey-oh!)
- Not having the Corona Virus.
- My schoolmates.
- A dependable little car with superb gas-milage. (a.k.a — “Ol’ Faithful”)
- Cooking dinner (pork Chili Verde with beans and rice) for my Mama on my late grandmother’s birthday. (because she’s still here, and I still can.)
- Watching Toy Story (yep, the original) with my baby boy and reminiscing together after his sister goes to sleep.
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Previously Published on Medium
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