this ritual of self care
is a good one for me
helps me lean into the world
again in the only way i can sense
what i feel passing through
such gratitude for nothing to do
but participate do the best i can do
which means use the joy on hand
observe what i let myself do
when something like i used to call effort
is involved but i remember this

it makes me no better than any of us
neither does it ever make me less
it’s a ritual that’s good for me
a discipline of living joyously

today i’m celebrating an event called happiness
i hope that across our planet, you are, too

©John Greenleaf-Maple – text and art 7/4/17