1. I’m still here. For so many reasons, this is something I’ve been thinking about and feeling grateful for. The world seems to be burning down in all kinds of ways, but as that Buddhist saying goes, “practice like your hair is on fire.” It isn’t always easy, but I still believe it’s better than the alternative and I’m not giving up.

2. Teaching yoga. This has been a complicated situation recently — thinking about cultural appropriation and making my classes accessible to more people, starting a new weekly class, and spending every weekend working towards my 500 hour certification, as well as working towards two other specialized certifications. And yet, after all the effort and confusion, it still ends up being the right thing to do.

3. My boyfriend is better than your boyfriend. My birthday is on Sunday, and as he did last year, he ordered clam chowder base from one of my favorite places on the Oregon Coast. He made me a traditional old style meal — clam chowder, shrimp and cabbage salad, cheesy garlic bread, and berry pie. It got here early, so we got to have it last night, and he bought extra so we’ll get to have it a few more times. He also leaves me love notes on the kitchen counter. And he makes me laugh, and gives me hugs whenever and for however long I need.

4. Morning walks. The sky has been particularly pretty.

5. My boys. They are the best companions for just about everything.

Bonus Joy: bran muffins with dried raspberries, fall break, a new person in my yoga class who has a sense of humor enough like mine that I’m funnier when she’s there, sleeping in, my infrared heating pad, Pilates, morning owl songs, good TV, good books, my Kindle, good music, people who are truly kind, the gooseberry jam my aunt made me, my friend’s little dog who I met for the first time and am totally in love with (she looks like Ringo and Sam had a baby), the same friend had a health scare but it turns out they’ll be okay, being able to spend the whole day at home in my pajamas even though I’m not sick or anything, cancelling plans because I’m just too tired to adult or even human knowing people who really love me totally get it, a crisp gala apple with crunchy peanut butter, pie crust, getting all the laundry done on a Friday, the house in our neighborhood that goes all out and decorates their entire yard for Christmas.