The View from Here

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the moment,

In  each breath you take. 

Rejoice in the ring of laughter,

The tracing of each tear,

In the warm embrace of love,

And the bitter sting of loneliness. 

Rejoice in storm and calm,

And every space in between,

For life happens in the cracks,

In the places so seemingly commonplace-

Not only in our highest highs 

Or moments of darkest despair-

Life happens when we least expect it;

In a glance,

An act of kindness,

In the quiet passing of the night. 

We can choose how to venture through those moments;

Letting them slip by us unaware,

Muted and colorless,

Or diving into them with fierce abandon,

Wearing each and every moment

Like a battle flag of being

Wrapped around us in an ultimate, defiant, celebration of life.