There will be bubbles

There is no stupidity in happiness. 

Embracing happiness does not mean we deny or are ignorant of the pain and injustice in the world. Or at least that is what I try to remind myself. 

It means we’re able to recognize and hold space for all facets of the human experience. It means we live in tension. 

There can’t be light without the dark.

If we deny our happiness, we miss our chance at optimism and hope that things can be better.

Our curiosity and ability to notice things — anything — start to atrophy…or at least mine do.

A yellow bird I’ve never seen before balancing on our string of lightbulbs. An older man doing tai chi on the tennis court, his wooden cane laying at his feet. 

Eliah pushing my head toward Kyler’s so we will kiss again.

Things I might’ve missed.

Eventually, we will all return to Mother Earth, but now we revel in her beauty.

The sun continues to paint the sky and the moon continues to give us rest. 

Meanwhile, the sunflower seeds turn into stalks and eventually bloom. Magic before our eyes.

Somewhere there are teenagers jumping off a pier on a hot summer evening. And here, they float down the Willamette River, splashing green water.

There will be outbursts of laughter and kitchen dance parties. 

There will be music that turns on your soul.

There will be bubbles. 

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Inspired by the following poems: 

“In the meantime” by Tom Hirons

“A brief for the defense” by Jack Gilbert