I've been rather down, lately, and trying to cheer myself up. I delved heavily into a bit of playing, and that helped a lot, but . . . something was missing. Play is OK, but not quite what I needed. I still felt a bit disconnected from the world around me. I needed to re-connect with what truly inspires me. So, in an effort to accomplish that, I present a list of ten things that make my life worthwhile. I'm going to make an effort to experience all of these more often.

(And update my story soon! Playing is good, too!)

10 THINGS THAT MAKE MY LIFE WORTHWHILE
(In no particular order)

1) The first bite of almost anything labeled "dessert" after a long, arduous day.

2) Browsing aimlessly in a quiet bookstore where I have to push a fat, purring cat out of the way to examine a book.

3) Reading by a quietly lapping body of water.

4) The moment when something I don't understand becomes something I do understand.

5) Shared laughter.

6) The feel of someone I'm close to playing with my hair.

7) A playful and friendly cat.

8) Thunderstorms.

9) Flying a kite, with no thought in my head but the direction of the wind.

10) The feeling of belonging I have amongst close friends.