Been in a poetic mood lately and thinking about some things I love. So for Thanksgiving, here are a few funny things and a few genuine things in life that I am thankful for because they bring me joy.
What is happiness?
Happiness is
The pungent smell of the barn overwhelming my senses on a Saturday morning
Hot, gooey, sweet cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning
Waves breaking across the river in the darkest part of the night
Happiness is
23 voices raised in a cappella praise in a rickety bus
Having a child wrap their arms around your neck
4 am conversations with the one person who understands you at your deepest level
Happiness is
Breathing in the sweet smell of horse breath
The bitterness of Costa Rican coffee
The warm touch of someone’s lips on your forehead
Happiness is
Abdominal shaking, rolling on the floor, out of breath laughter
Heart pounding and legs shaking after a run
Slobbery dog kisses and paws climbing up you
It is shooting stars, fireflies, fireworks, and the hot sun
It is melty s'mores, midnight swims, the adrenaline rush of flipping out of a tube
It is long slow kiss, his thumb rubbing the back of your hand, hair being brushed behind your ears
It is snowflakes dusting your eyelashes, hot chocolate, classes being canceled
Happiness is
The vibrant red of autumn leaves, the world being lit on fire
The first buds of spring
Looking back at the changes in your life like the change of the seasons
Happiness is
Drowning out the troubles of the world with music blasting in your ears
Taking off your bra at the end of a long day
Dissolving into a pile of pillows
Happiness is
Loud, rambunctious family gatherings
Watching those you care about succeed
Sitting in comfortable silence with someone just to be together
It is being told you can’t and then doing it anyways
It is fighting for what is right and seeing results
It is respecting others and earning the respect of others
It is overcoming, persevering, rising up
Happiness is
The satisfaction gained through highlighting and color coding all of your notes
Walking out of a test knowing that you did well and that it’s over
Realizing that the homework isn’t due tomorrow
Happiness is
Coming home to your mother’s smile, your sisters’ laughs, your father’s jokes
Smooth, soft cat fur and the motor of his purr
Sitting by the fireplace breathing in the smell of wood
Happiness is
Long text messages that make you cry
Handwritten cursive letters
Knowing that someone took the time to think of you
It is a thousand ripples after you skipped the perfect rock
It is the musty, almond-like smell of old books
It is racing head first down a hill, feet off the pedals, flying
It is a city full of lights down below and clouds next to you as you travel
Happiness is
Looking up in at the paint on your ceiling talking to God
The fluff and soft peeps of baby chicks
The weathered hands of an old man as he teaches you to fish
Happiness is
Cool droplets and bubbling suds all over when you really should just be washing the car
Seeing the familiar face of a distant friend
Baggy, oversized sweatshirts
Happiness is
The times we wished time would stop
The images we capture in our mind
To draw from and lean on when all seems lost
Photo by 
