The View from Here

i wake in the early morning light and open my eyes to my treasures.

I see a sweet face in repose on the pillow next to mine, and memory after memory of adventure, of laughter, of love, flash through my mind like heat lightning on a gentle summer night. 

I see snoring mounds of fur at the foot of the bed, and though flecks of gray have begun to grace their muzzles, in my mind’s eye I picture the puppies they will always be to me. Their gifts of devotion and comedy bringing a smile to my face. 

I see an old house with a century of hard won character that became a joy-filled home through years of hopes, dreams, blood, sweat, and tears. Through love. 

I see the beauty of summer in full swing, trees swaying just outside the window, laced with birds serenading the rising sun, their industrious and resilient songs reminding me not to waste a moment of this precious day. 

In my heart, I hold these riches close to me, gratitude welling up from the depths of my soul. I have found love, my place in this world, and I am humbled by my fortune.