The Things I Love

1. Erik, Erik, Erik, a thousand times Erik (my ever-gracious husband)
2. Our daughter, Asha
3. Asha’s wild, untamable curls and her wild, untamable heart
4. The sound of my husband’s voice, especially when he says my name
5. Memories of my incredible childhood, and the people who were a part of it
6. My parents and brother, all of whom I would describe as “radically loving”
7. The yellow-green light that comes through the trees in the early evening
8. Tea and the rituals surrounding tea
9. Verrocchio’s hands
10. Being barefoot
11. Moss and other tiny flora found on forest floors
12. The Lives of the Saints
13. Toe socks/ tabi socks
14. Poppies
15. Running in the woods
16. Reading The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek on vacation (I bring it with me every year)
17. Breakfast with my father
18. Connecting people
19. Soaking in the bath
20. Wine from Rioja, Spain
21. Fish for breakfast
22. Exploring big ideas
23. Gardening and cultivation, especially with plants native to the place
24. Carrara marble
25. Beautiful portraits
26. Stories of how couples met
27. Inspiring people to follow their dreams
28. Preparing meals according to the seasons
29. Essays by Wendell Berry
30. Taking Communion
31. Visual puns
32. Making love
33. Sculptures of the Blessed Virgin Mary
34. Erik’s hands
35. Beautiful mathematics
36. The excitement at the starting line of a 5K race
37. Redemption stories
38. Great story tellers, especially my father and brother
39. Swimming in lakes
40. Red jackets
41. Indian fabrics
42. Snuggling with my family in the morning
43. Midnight walks
44. The shapes of pears and eggs
45. Children and adults alike exercising their God-given creativity
46. Juxtaposing the grotesque with the beautiful
47. Hearing from people who really love what they do
48. Handwritten letters
49. Picasso’s Guernica
50. Incredible women, especially my mother

What do you love?