50 Things Worth Noticing
Your baby niece’s giggle, and how she scrunches her eyes when she finds you amusing.
The soft way that clouds roll across the sky.
The wavering flicker of candlelight dancing across a darkened room.
How each of your friends hug you.
The flakes of a croissant (and how they just melt in your mouth. Yum.)
The swell of a Hans Zimmer score (bonus points if it’s from Gladiator.)
Your feet hitting the ground once you wake up.
…and on that point, that first sip of coffee on an early morning.
The melodies your mom absentmindedly hums.
The TV show reference you find yourself constantly reciting during a conversation with your best friend.
The way the fading light from the window dances across the tile floor of your kitchen.
The bop-bop-bop that comes from your next-door neighbor’s kids playing volleyball outside.
How smooth a matcha latte can taste.
The way a pothos plant continues to climb out of its flowerpot.
The satisfying feeling you get when pressing publish on your latest essay.
…and the slight fear of catching a typo post-publish.
The way it feels to curl up in bed right when you’ve put on new bedsheets.
The way rosary beads feel in your hand as you pray through each mystery.
The excitement of a new idea.
The reluctance of sharing that idea with a confidant.
The giddiness that comes with being heard.
The contentment felt after a good hangout with friends.
How it feels to hold a paintbrush in your hand, no skill required.
Writing with a pencil.
Writing with an inky pen that blots the longer you leave it on the page.
…and, on that note, capturing your thoughts in a journal.
The way a family member recounts a beloved memory.
The way that sunshine warms your skin on a brisk day.
How it feels to listen to an album for the first time, cover to cover.
The imperfections of nature, like the organic lines of a houseplant.
…and despite its imperfections, the great order found in wild nature.
The bitter shock of sipping a glass of sparkling water (bonus points if you thought it was still water).
How it feels when you actually open up the windows in your home, even if it’s humid outside.
The pitter-patter of rain.
The novelty and genuine newness of trying something for the first time.
The satisfaction of rereading a beloved novel, like returning to an old friend.
The joy of blowing bubbles.
The sound of a loved one’s footsteps.
The constancy of waves rolling on the shore.
That satisfaction one has when crossing something off a physical to-do list.
The clink of glasses when dining with friends.
The sheer wonder of seeing a wild animal.
The fine details captured through binoculars (especially when spotting an animal!)
Fresh linens.
The way flower petals look velvety in sunlight.
The freedom found when not reaching for your phone for the twentieth time that hour.
The freedom found when stepping outside with no agenda, just a desire to be outside.
The freedom found in relinquishing control.
The beautiful sound of silence.
The elation found in sticking through to the very end.