Originally published on Substack here.
1. A friend and her wife made me Turkish coffee (with Turkish Delight!) when I went over to discuss her poetry book
I’m helping a friend self-publish her first poetry book. I feel so honored to be a part of the process. Her poetry is raw, reflective, and deep, and her openness and willingness to share it is inspirational.
Yesterday, I went over to her apartment to help her set up a Kindle Direct Publishing account and discuss some formatting decisions for the manuscript. She made me a delicious cup of Turkish coffee with coffee from a local Yemeni coffee shop. And her wife made sure to add two pieces of Turkish Delight on the side. And they served it on a fancy platter, too! Their hospitality made me feel so special.
2. Reading a book on the steps of the back porch as my kids played barefoot in the backyard
My five-year-old, Nora, went outside yesterday to observe the mosquito larvae she and her Grammie collected in a glass container from still water. She was convinced they were tadpoles (she was very sad when I broke the news a few days ago). My two-year-old, Nolan, of course wanted to join her outside.
My wife was cooking dinner. We had spent hours at a friend’s pool and I did not have the energy to play. So I sat on the steps of the back porch and I read. I’m about halfway through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. There was a warm breeze and the whole experience felt serene.
I made my daughter solve her own boredom. I decided to say as few words to them as possible as they played. She exasperatedly claimed that there was “nothing to do” and “nothing to play with.” Within minutes she tipped the outdoor chairs over and put the cushions on the ground to make a ship or a castle or something along those lines. I think it’s good for them to be bored and not need me to rescue them by offering a solution. Her chair/cushion contraption entertained both her and her brother until dinner was ready.
3. Seeing a double rainbow in a warm summer rain after listening to George Saunder’s 2013 Syracuse commencement speech
After reading Clay Skipper’s interview with George Saunders, I decided to listen to Saunders’ 2013 Syracuse convocation speech while I cleaned the kitchen after dinner. Nora joined me and played with the brightness and volume settings on my laptop as it played. It was funny, beautiful, and my eyes got a bit wet when he spoke about kindness. It made me feel whole and hopeful. Then, I looked outside and I pointed out that it was raining. Nora asked to go out and I joined her. She eventually asked for an umbrella, but I decided I didn’t need one. The sun was still peeking through the leaves of the big sycamore tree in the backyard. I felt in my bones that there would be a rainbow out front in the opposite direction. I walked out around the house and was so excited to see not just one rainbow, but two! I felt like the double rainbow guy. I even shouted across the street at a kid who walked outside to look up at them. Nora and I got soaked (me, more than her) as we danced and spun around in the rain.
Wisdom and kindness + warm summer rain + rainbows = 10/10 experience.
It’s amazing how great people pop into your life seemingly out of nowhere. And how the mundane, everyday experiences of life can feel magical if you’re able to really take it all in.
Thanks for reading,
Caleb