rise & shine

Light streams across the kitchen table,

sunrise suspended in dust bunnies not yet formed and wisps of incense wafting west.

Fall’s crisp arrival echos in scattered birdsong

as I inhale to cement this memory.

There are more and more of these lately:

moments I fear losing to the sands of time,

mindful souvenirs without artifact,

blissful presence without worry.

I know now that I will inevitably forget the impact of this alignment.

If I’m lucky, it returns to me in a dream or meditation.

If I’m intentional, its recreated morning after morning–

the cavernous night sky reflected in a single cup of coffee.

This equanimity feels like free-falling into the universe’s embrace,

sweet surrender to slow, simple pleasures.

Each sip serving as a gentle reminder that the present is all we have,

warmly welcoming another day of potential and possibility.