#unfiltered #28 The Little Things

morning, the little things

Over the past few weeks, California has been plagued with wildfire after wildfire. It got me really thinking about what I miss.

I had a birthday resolution to run more to achieve a sub-5 mile by running in my neighborhood regularly. I used to manually water the plants in our backyard, especially my kumquat blossoms that finally bloomed after 2 years. And, I used to keep my windows open so that fresh air could fill the house.

The smell of dew and the brush of chill in the morning. The smell of freshly-cut grass in the afternoon. And the evening dinner aromas that pervaded our cute suburbia.

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. When the smog came to our neighborhood, I no longer had that luxury. Rather, I spent my time indoors, and a few days back I wrote this in my journal.

The Little Things

Silence of the jay,
Crimson ochre dyed the sky,
Tumbleweed astray.

New kumquat blossoms
Birthed from labor, yet scorched by
Ashen canopy.

A resolve to run,
Yet I am basking under
A bright midnight sun.

Taken for granted,
A life I thought I knew well
And now much better.

Inspired by the lost
Cherished more when found, come forth
Will the little things.

Appreciating life

What else do I take for granted? What else will I deeply miss when I no longer have but aren’t fully appreciating now?

The first answer that comes into my head – the people around me. My family and my friends.

Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash


#unfiltered is a series where I share my raw thoughts and unfiltered commentary about anything and everything. It’s not designed to go down smoothly like the best cup of cappuccino you’ve ever had (although here‘s where I found mine), more like the lonely coffee bean still struggling to find its identity (which also may one day find its way into a more thesis-driven blogpost). Who knows? The possibilities are endless.


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