Two

Things that have made life worth living lately:

The x-ray flare of sunlight through a pigeon's wing. Crooked embroidery stitches on a practice primer. The smell of garlic from the oven. A shady meadow full of bluebells, their brand of blue that doesn't seem possible. Running farther without stopping than I ever have before. The crinkle of a book page that's gotten slightly wet. The crinkle of a down duvet. The jewel of pink wine in a glass obscured by frosty, unblemished condensation. Watching a speckled bird flutter-bathe in a tidal stream. The perfect arc of a rainbow across the sky, one end touching Clare and the other burnishing Galway. The W-dive of a sea bird after prey in the water, its minuscule splash and bob. The rippling mirror of calm sea waters reflecting a cloudy sunset. Shorts made of the same material as a sweatshirt.