Saturday June 1st, 2024
11:00 am

100 thes to shine light on how beautiful this life is

1. The way the little thin bag of pretzels holds a fond taste, but only on an airplane
2. The smell of the beige pages of a freshly opened book
3. the shadows of the clouds, slowly progressing across the ocean
4. the sparkle in a person’s eyes when they start a sentence with did you know…?
5. the softening of voices deep in conversation after the sun has disappeared
6. the loose threads on a friendship bracelet you know has not been taken off for years
7. the extra letters in a text message that reveal a certain level of joy. ex. helloooo
8. the familiarity of commercial jingles. ex. liberty-liberty-liiiiberty
9. the drooling smile of a dog who’s been waiting all of ten minutes for you to come back
10. the aroma of freshly cut grass
11. the polka dots of grease stains on your crinkled fast-food bag, stuffed with a quarter pounder and way too many sauce packets
12. the crescendo as an evening goes on of the voices in one of those restaurants where they place white paper and crayons on the tables
13. the reassurance of freshly washed sheets that excellent sleep will presume
14. the songs of the crickets that begin their day as we conclude ours
15. the lyrics of “A-O-K” by Tai Verdes
16. the it’s a small world occasions where you meet someone for the first time who shares a piece of you
17. the people who just get it
18. the routine my dog holds, flinging his food in the air and jumping on it before devouring each piece individually
19. the plurality of sunset snap stories when the sky has been painted with colors of pink and purple and orange
20. the unleashed relief that uncovers itself after stepping past the doors of the final exam before break
21. the interconnectedness faith and religion spring upon people, even in the most tragic of times
22. the voices lovers use to describe their other halves
23. the dirt that remains under your fingernails, keeping you closer and closer with nature
24. the closed eyelids of satisfied tastebuds after a chicken alfredo
25. the discipline of a person with a goal
26. the intimacy of generational proverbs
27. the sensation of a peaceful breeze masking the summer heat
28. the elation after solving today’s wordle
29. the awkward jitters that emerge when meeting new friends for the first time
30. the little stories of community builders that show up on the ten o’clock news every now and then
31. the rambling of a person who is ever so passionate
32. the little glass bowl at grammy’s house that holds little caramels wrapped in gold plastic
33. the excitement of (any age) the appearance of an ice cream shop
34. the mysterious waft of pine while strolling on a crooked sidewalk
35. the comfort of allowing tears to stream gently down your cheeks
36. the happiness in the voices of the two kids who need to exchange just one more word before the teacher snaps
37. the completion of an entire black ink gel pen
38. the relief of finally solving that equation after blankly staring at it for hours
39. the seconds between a grand philosophical revelation and the realization that your revelation was in fact disproven
40. the solace in knowing what’s next
41. the excitement in not knowing what’s next
42. the chaotic endeavors of a happy group in preparing little numbered candles for their friend’s birthday
43. the word bosom
44. the six degrees of separation theory
45. the raw sound of a freshly tuned piano
46. the cold shower after the sun’s heat broiled your meek wintered skin
47. the burning of your cheeks as you walk inside from sparkling snow and low temperatures
48. the romcoms that ease your soul and make you smile, like “the middle” and “full house”
49. the little surprise messages you get from the people you’ve never expected
50. the side quests that leave you wondering how this world exists the way it does
51. the ocassions of jinx you owe me a soda
52. the America’s Got Talent golden buzzers
53. the coincidental matching
54. the duolingo achievements page
55. the serenity in finding someone you can share your deepest darkest secrets with
56. the poetic excerpts on pinterest that leave you a little more aware of your surroundings
57. the jam-packed gym on January 2nd
58. the first time winners
59. the smooth peel of plastic off of a brand new, scratch free apple device
60. the illumination of the immense splash of life that emerges when you submerge in the ocean with perfectly fitting goggles
61. the lack of syntax errors in a code
62. the fragrance of buttered popcorn inside a frigid movie theatre
63. the rooms that are so majestically decorated with fairly lights that an overhead light is not necessary
64. the final word in an overly challenging crossword puzzle
65. the glimmering stars
66. the self-help books that give you a little hope that you’re coming closer to finding yourself
67. the whiteness of a new pair of shoes
68. the stories told by a pair of shoes, falling apart at the soles
69. the first flight a nest of baby birds embarks on
70. the cold sweats while breaking a fever (this one may be controversial)
71. the ambience of a garden
72. the forgotten surprise of a belated birthday wish
73. the small creases that pave their stories on the corners of your eyes over time
74. the videos of babies cringing at lemons
75. the cheeseburgers the morning after a night gone perfect
76. the realization that you have two more days until the weekend
77. the unexpected run-ins with people who were left behind in a different chapter of your life
78. the increase in your stock value
79. the juicy watermelons after a long day of getting your hair sandy and shoulders warmed
80. the inner tubes that fly behind a boat
81. the tote bag painting events
82. the predicability and cliches of The Kissing Booth
83. the new and spontaneous ideas
84. the victories of cup pong
85. the intricate petals of a hydrangea
86. the minutes and hours and love that reveal themselves in handmade gifts
87. the way the eclipse brought everyone together
88. the warmth of freshly dried clothes
89. the achievement of staying off of social media for twenty-four full hours
90. the long awaited catch ups with childhood friends that feel like no time has passed
91. the sense of accomplishment when handing the register my id. I am not 16 even though I look it
92. the twinkle in the eyes of the people you care about most when they accomplish big, medium, and little things
93. the healing journey’s baby steps
94. the future plans you can’t help but dance with excitement thinking about
95. the late nights at a sleepover, eating popcorn while barely watching a movie as you spill secrets until dawn
96. the burn of buldak carbonara ramen eased with chupie mayo
97. the mayo-ketchup combo
98. the blankets that are so unexpectedly and extraordinarily soft
99. the friends you met along the way
100. the list being eternally incomplete

Wednesday June 5th, 2024
3:00 pm

and to think there’s millions more