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.

1. Morning walks. For the next couple of weeks, it will actually be light out again when we walk in the morning. When we went out today, we walked along the river. I’ve been missing it. In the summer, the mosquitoes keep us away, and after that it was too far for Sam to walk, and then it was too dark to enjoy, but we were able to go today. Sam loved it.

2. Having loved someone so much that nine years later it still hurts to be without them. Nine years ago today, we had to let go of our first dog, Obi. As I said on Facebook this morning, I get it. Everyone dies. And our dogs most likely will go before we do because their lives are so much shorter, but it still feels massively unfair. I suppose the fact that it still hurts, that I still miss him like crazy, is both the bad news and the good.

3. The ones you love that are still here. Having friends who are smart, kind, creative, and funny is just the best.

4. Flowers in the bathroom. Even when they are from the grocery store, leftover from last week.

5. My tiny family. Ringo was especially cute this week.

Bonus joy: warm peach pie, fresh pesto, seeing Winona LaDuke give a talk at CSU, texting, being able to prioritize without guilt, my infrared heating pad on a morning when it was only 19 degrees on our walk, indica for sleeping, sick days, writing, reading, watching TV, teaching yoga, practice, long naps, sleeping in, down blankets and wool socks, a crisp gala apple with crunchy peanut butter, the hug my new intern gave me when she finally was able to start working, lunches with Aramati, writing with Chloe’ and Mikalina, being home by myself.