101 Small Things

I have been attending a Poetry of Resilience group for quite some time now since the pandemic—this latest session is about the body. During our sessions, we discussed making a list of the small things that bring joy. Author Leila Chatti, a guest poet that day, created a list of 100 small things. I am adding one “thing” to make it 101 small things:

1: Hot shower, 2: holding my kids’ hands, 3: holding my granddaughter’s hand, 4: cuddling with my dogs Valentine and Scamp, 5: petting my cat Nefertiti, 6: drinking a hot mocha late, 7: having a suchar, a French chocolate, 8: touching clay, 9: walking in a garden, 10: walking barefoot on wet sand, 11: smelling the ocean, 12: listening to drums, 13: putting lotion on my feet, 14: wearing funny socks, 15: watching funny cat video, 16: sing in the car even if I am out of tune, 17:smelling lavender, 18: paint, 19: receiving a pedicure, 20: enjoying a body massage, 21: enjoying socca, a Nissart delicacy from France, 22: drinking iced cold water, 23: dipping my feet into a river stream, 24: skiing down a hill, 25: feeling sweat down my ankles after a workout, 26: enjoying the taste of fresh berries under my tongue, 27: picking out the first pear from my pear tree, 28: putting my hands in the soil, 29: listening to the birds, 30: noticing a family of pigeons return to our home every Spring, 31: the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies baked by oldest son, 32: swimming under water, 33: listening to running water, 34: listening to silence, 35: hugging a friend, 36: laughing with a friend, 37: watching a funny movie with a friend, 38: enjoying the honey in my tea, 39: listening to poets performing their written work, 40: feeling the grass under my bare feet, 41: putting nail polish on my toe nails, 42: sitting in a space surrounded by visual art pieces, 43: hugging a stuffed animal, 44: dance in the kitchen to 80s music while cooking, 45: readings cards written by my children, 46: draw with my granddaughter, 47: eat sushi – don’t forget the ikura (salmon eggs), 48: work on ceramics with a friend, 49: the taste of a mango smoothie, 50: looking at old pictures of my Mom, 51: watching rain drops slide down on a window, 52: looking through glass, 53: giving a hug to my granddaughter, 54: watch my son Nikolai dance, 55: the smell of bread from a French bakery, 56: watching fish swim in the ocean, 57: enjoying memories of small moments, 58: licking chocolate off my fingers after baking a chocolate cake, 59: enjoying the warmth of the sun when I first step outside, 60: memories of my Grandpa, 61: holding a fluffy puppy, 62: finding an interesting tree during a walk, 63: enjoying a scoop of chocolate ice-cream, 64: smelling Tom Yum soup, 65: choosing flowers to plant, 66: admiring a visual art piece without being rushed, 67: the moment my teeth feel clean after I brush them, 68: waking up from a relaxing cat nap, 69: caring for my rose bushes, 70: listening to the sound of wind chimes, 71: watching the sun rise, 72: looking at the stars, 73: blowing bubbles, 74: playing with a hot wheel car, 75: finding and buying an antique smurf figurine, 76: browsing antique stores, 77: the taste of a simple grilled cheeseburger at an event, 78: watching snowflakes fall, 79: sliding my finger across a wet picnic table, 80: peeling tape off glazed pots, 81: feeling a warm towel on my neck, 82: feeling someone I love kissing me on the neck, 83: enjoying the smell of a wood fire, 84: Eating mussels, 85:sleeping in comfortable pajamas, 86: looking at photos of my love ones, 87: building a lego, 88: listening to a cat purr, 89: the smell of warm apple pie, 90: the first step into the ocean, 91: Listening to my youngest son’s jokes (even if there are not funny), 92: Listening to 80s music, 93: touching my hair after a new haircut, 94: sending a thank you note, 95: that one intellectual geek moment that feels like I discovered a treasure, 96: dancing in the car at red lights, 97: stumbling upon an interesting book at a library by accident, 98: looking at broken glass and making stories about the glass stars, 99: taking my shoes off, 100: playing with silly strings with my children, 101: aiming at a friend with a water gun and pretending it was not me.