This morning, I stepped outside while the coffee brewed. It was just after sunrise, and there was fog floating several feet off the ground.

Birds were singing their hearts out, and I took note of all the flowers—vibrant pink, pale pink, bright purple. There are trees with leaves beginning to bud on the branches—a portent of things to come. A reminder, perhaps, that even after the deep dark of winter, things grow.

Maybe that’s more important to remember now than ever before. Maybe these small moments of beauty will carry us through.

I believe that. Not because I have to, but because I do. Because there are certain things that remain steady, even when the world doesn’t.

My ridiculous cat waits, sometimes impatiently, for when he knows it’s time to get up. And then he absolutely loses his mind, purring and meowing and bopping his head against my nose and my shoulder. Best little greeting committee, really. (Is the bastard now taking a nap? Yes. But he’s living the life, ya know?)

This morning, too, I’ve been reminding myself not necessarily of my own value or worth, but my own power. (None of this is as dramatic as that sounds, I swear.) But there is always something affirming about remembering I get to decide things. I get to try again. I get to start over. Or turn left. Or. Or. Or.

(Trying very hard not to quote Into the Woods, now. Sorry, not sorry.)

But, like Peggy Carter said, I know my value. And I don’t think that was always the case throughout my life. I think, sometimes, we have to learn our own worth and then demand it. And let’s be honest: that’s never easy. But again: important/worth it.

Spring is a time of rebirth. April wanders in on bright green feet, bringing flowers and birds and hope. April is a time of decision, I think. Of discovery. Of possibility. And I love that.

Hearts have their own spring, too. Sometimes, that’s a renewal we carry within ourselves. Sometimes, it’s something we trip over.

But I think, at the end of the day, what matters is remembering that every breath is a chance. Every choice point is an offering. And while life never really goes in a straight line, there are certain things I know for sure.

Kindness is never wasted. Love is never a mistake. Laughter is necessary and good. Those who give back get to stay in the picture. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. An open door is just as important as knowing you can close one. Gestures matter—big and small. If a relationship does not go both ways, then it’s a sinkhole. Go elsewhere.

And, finally but not exhaustively: always trust your instincts, your heart-compass, that feeling in your bones. You are always braver than you realize. Capisce?

Psssst, have you preorder a copy of my forthcoming poetry collection yet? It’s available worldwide, but if you order from Inkwood, during checkout, you can put if you want it signed/personalized: https://www.inkwoodnj.com/item/Ta5ktKUgZA3-VLmK8BTiAA. (If you’re outside the U.S., they will ship internationally, but you gotta call and square things away with them, before ordering.)