1. Practice. I had a really hard week, and some of the things that saved me were a guided meditation to ease anxiety, teaching my yoga class at Red Sage, and writing with my Friday morning sangha.

2. Morning rest in the blue light with the blue dog. There were no morning walks because Ringo has been struggling with some pain in his back end, and we’ve been resting him and working with his “team” to get it sorted.

3. Sometimes comfort is a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread from The Bread Chic. Sometimes, it is an emergency therapy session. Sometimes it is a nap. Sometimes it is a good cry. Sometimes it is a poem. Sometimes it is a warm shower. Sometimes it is a hug in the kitchen. Sometimes it is a slow drive around the cemetery with all the windows rolled down. Sometimes it is texting with Chloe’ and Chris, without even telling them you are struggling. Sometimes it’s a massage with Dana where you tell her exactly all the ways you are struggling. Sometimes it is watching part of a movie. Sometimes it is listening to a podcast or some Teddy Swims loud in the car with all the windows rolled down even if it means you have to turn on the heat. Sometimes it is drinking a can of grapefruit Bubly sparkling water. Sometimes it is canceled plans. Sometimes it is not finishing the book you are reading and starting another. Sometimes it is sending what feels like the perfect gift through snail mail. Sometimes it’s butter or cheese or something salty. Sometimes it’s your dog’s vet seeing that you are worried and saying something, and then telling you, “I’ll take care of him like he’s my own dog, without all the crying” and knowing for sure she’s telling you the truth. Sometimes it’s making a joke and other times it’s keeping quiet. I’m grateful for all the forms it takes.

4. Lounging in the sun in the backyard with your dog. Am I aware that all the sun and warmth we’ve had this winter is bad news, that it’s going to lead to dry ground and increased fire danger and too much heat this summer? Yup. Do I know that it is a sign of the climate crisis, soon to be apocalypse? Yes, absolutely. Would I rather have colder temperatures and lots of snow? For sure. Did I allow myself to enjoy it anyway. Yes, yes I did.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. Like I said, this week and honestly the week before it were so hard, but still, there’s no one I’d rather do it with, no one I’d rather do my life with, including all the hard parts.

Bonus joy: Annie’s mac & cheese, burritos, toast, pay day, a big glass of cold clean water, Ringo out in the backyard barking, Ringo’s “team” of doctors, getting in the pool, sitting in the sauna, chatting with Sally, citrus, pickled red onions, texts from Monica and Cynthia and Jessamy, the things I brought home from Mom’s that I see and use at my house now, a hot cup of coffee and warm mug of tea, finding tiny pockets of calm, tiny brass animals — the ones I’ve kept and the ones I’ve given away, online shopping, listening to comedy albums at night with Eric instead of watching TV (not that I have anything against watching TV), video shorts on YouTube, tortilla chips, plantain chips, how I always feel better after doing yoga, that tiny corgi walking by our house as I was leaving today who I said “hi” to and how happy it made her person, other people’s kids and pets, Ringo’s appetite, the riot of bird song in the backyard, to be known and loved anyway, making each other laugh, ice cubes, naps, libraries and librarians, poetry and poets, comedy and comedians, music and musicians, stickers, blank notebooks and pens with refillable ink, downloading books from the library onto my Kindle, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.