As I’ve gotten older,
I’ve started to notice the spaces between things.
The way sunlight stretches across the wooden floor,
shifting as the day moves forward.
The soft sway of tree branch shadows,
visible only in their movement.
A friend’s message arriving in the middle of the day—
unexpected, but perfectly timed.
Fifteen minutes alone in a café,
hands wrapped around warmth,
nowhere to be but here.
Joy isn’t the whole story.
It isn’t required.
But scattered through the day,
if I pay attention,
I find these small moments—
complete, unassuming, asking nothing—
and I am glad to have noticed.
~Ryan Peterson
