I have always been and remain exceptionally grateful for the simple things I can touch and feel.  They aren’t ever major things, but I love them.

Most of the feelings I love involve words.  I love the feeling of a hardcover book without its book jacket.  I love the feeling of a paper covered in pen – the way you can feel the imprints of the words on the page.  Maybe it’s just my gratitude for words that inspires these simple things, but they make me incredibly happy nonetheless.

I love listening to music in my car and feeling the beat of the song through the floor onto my foot.  Music becomes a more sensory experience when I can feel it.

One of the feelings I’m most grateful for is being wrapped up in a cozy blanket.  I love them, especially once fall and winter hit.  There is something incredibly comforting about being curled up on the couch with a soft blanket, whether doing homework, reading a book, or watching a movie.  Other fabrics like smooth silk and soft velvet are wonderful to touch.

I also love the way a cup of hot chocolate or hot apple cider can manage to warm my hands and my heart.  When fall and winter come around, hot drinks are useful not just for drinking, but for warmth.  On a rough day, nothing beats a warm hug from a family member or friend that manages to make all things right in the world again.  Something as simple as a hug can make you feel okay again.

One of the best feelings in the world is feeling individual rain drops on my head.  It’s like there’s a little bubble of happiness inside me whenever I feel little drops of water plink on my head.  Other nature-related things like standing barefoot on cool grass (preferably in summer) are beyond lovely.

All these simple pleasures make life bearable when it’s tough, and I cannot fully describe my gratitude for them.