I keep a notebook in which I write down everything that makes me happy. By tradition, once a month, I’ll share the things I wrote. For more information, this post explains how this tradition began. Here’s everything that made me happy in April, 2021. Patterned envelopes Glass water bottles “Does a waterfall move?” Receiving flowers…
This year I’ve fallen in love with Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology for the very first time, a pair of novels that have stuck within my daydreams. I found Bardugo’s other books set in the same universe and quickly grew obsessed. I may have joined the fandom a bit later than some of its…
This month has been a journey. My health, as usual, hasn’t been the best, and I’ve been constantly craving rest. But I made a lot of small and wonderful memories. I’m finally done with midterms and starting spring break. Now, in the midst of a much-needed rest, I’m looking back on the month and recognizing…
I’m a believer in the small wonders, the mundane-yet-beautiful things hidden in tiny pockets of life. Nonetheless, I’ve been quiet on this blog because not everything is simple, no matter how many lovely things there are in life, there are also a handful of hardships. My health hasn’t been too great lately, so it’s hard…
Finally, 2020 is over. The year was tiring, to say the least — it’s amazing how global the sense of pain was. I pray that those who have been hurting will find healing and hope in 2021, and that those who have found hope will not lose it when difficult times arrive. 2020 was…a lot.…
I love handwritten letters. Opening the mailbox and seeing the loops of cursive writing on a thin paper. Coffee-stained, wax-sealed envelopes, closed with a kiss. I love seeing someone’s name printed on the return address and thinking—I wonder how they’re doing right now? I love the sound of opening the seal. The excited feeling of…
I’m not a natural optimist. I’m someone who needs to train myself to see the glass half-full. The emptiness lingering on the other side of the glass can swallow me up, and I need to fix my thoughts forward to make sure that doesn’t happen. If there’s one book that helps me learn to be optimistic, it’s Stargirl by…
One summer, I found myself wandering the sidewalks and realizing every beautiful little thing around me. I had discovered a break in the woods that practically glowed around sunset, illuminated with the greenish-yellow tint of sunlight passing through the leaves. It was gorgeous. They’re Enchanted Places. Like the “Álagablettur” in Iceland. There are always little pockets…
Sometimes it’s the thought that counts. And sometimes, the gift itself. But I believe that the perfect gift is where the thought and the item intertwine as equals. I like to look at a gift I’ve received and remember it’s giver. It’s heartwarming to see evidence of a gift being given thoughtfully. Giving can be…
I love coffee shops. I love watching my coffee made in front of me. The bzzz of the machinery. One shot of espresso. A cup of frothed milk. A drizzle of caramel. Iced. I love the barista handing it to me, smiling at me, looking genuinely happy—whether or not their shift had been going well…
