Small Things

October 17, 2017

It’s a small thing, really. After another busy day, Linda and I are sitting in the Millstone room, she watching her favorite tv show, and me writing. We gravitate to this room when we want to relax. The wood stove is still cold; as backup heat, we don’t need to fire it up quite yet, but the room is still a pleasant place to be. My usual evening drink is tea, or sometimes decaf coffee. I don’t like sugary drinks, so I don’t do the mochas and cappuccinos from Starbucks. Pour-over or a Quad espresso are just fine. 

Tonight, the air is crisp, the leaves littering the lawn. In a small window of down time this afternoon, Linda and I sat on the back deck watching the leaves float down the stream, drinking our coffee, and talking about our life together. It was a Hallmark movie time. Almost. Only it wasn’t cheesy. Apparently, we’ve aged considerably this past year. Used to be, we could drink coffee any time without losing sleep. Now, caffeine after six is a guaranteed sleepless night. So for the first time in at least a year, I mixed up a cup of sugary hot chocolate…just right!

After talking with a homeless man yesterday, small things like a cup of hot chocolate, sitting together on the deck or in our Millstone room, become treasures all the more precious by contrast. I am blessed beyond measure, and thankful for each one.