senses. the day.

smell
My husband's minty breath as he kisses me good-bye and good morning. Flowery, plumeria incense as I write my morning pages, and I am reminded of Maui. Lavender soap, as the suds form in the shower, I smell my skin and think of summer, sun. The woodsy-ness of green tea as I bring the mug to my lips as I work. The damp, odor-full smell of wet dog as she nudges with her head, hoping I will stop working to pet her. Later, the rich, pungency of chocolate as my husband and I share dessert on the couch.

hear
My fingers tap across the keyboard as I work. The weepies harmonize from the tiny speakers attached to my computer. Later, joni mitchell teaches me with her wise words and I attempt to harmonize along. The rattle of newspaper as I turn the pages, searching for words that speak. Scissors open and close, cutting through the paper. The click click pause, click click click pause of the antique typewriter as I write words that have been walking across my brain all day. Throughout it all, the rain falls and falls on the roof. Tink, tink, splat, tink, tink.

see
The glow from the computer screen brightens the room, and in the morning, I spend time with the words of others. For awhile, work related words; I write invitations to change meaning slightly, add a comma here, add definitions, delete redundancy. A break. Then the words of wise, creative, soulful, honest women. I turn the pages of this book and this book and revel in the colors as I learn. I put paint to paper and watch images begin to bleed in the water on the page. Orange becomes red becomes orange becomes yellow. I am inspired by the paintings of this woman.

taste
My new favorite breakfast treat, warm toast with butter and cinnamon sugar. I know I can only eat it until I go back to the store for a smarter start to my day, so I let the sinful taste dance in my mouth, slowly, each bite, slowly. Two mugs of Trader Joe's green tea, each cooling slightly as I work.

touch
The plush, softness of my favorite gray sweatshirt. The rain falls on my head as Millie and I run outside to the backyard for a quick break. She brushes against my leg, soft and wet, in her rush to get back inside. I shuffle my new cards, a gift from a new friend and am grateful for the wisdom I hold in my hands. I feel the smooth surface of each card and think about reaching inside the pictures and touching the knowledge there.

and know
When I pause to look at the day, I find that my heart feels happy. I am walking in my life. I am learning as I walk. I am growing as I learn. I am laughing as I grow. I am singing as I laugh. I am dancing as I sing. I am me as I dance, as I live.