Recent, Most Tender Memories of Earth

It's two in the morning and I'm hanging onesies, mittens, cloth diapers, boots, towels, and swaddles to the clothesline. The fragrance of Perwoll detergent heightens my senses. I never expected to love doing chores, until I found true reasons to celebrate why and who I'm doing it for. How can we let a stranger do it? How can we let a stranger stare into your eyes and shape your forming soul as we dance you to sleep? These days, we do it ourselves.

It's four in the afternoon and we had cake and snacks in your school with your classmates. On the way out of the gate, you were still wearing the party-hat crown we cut ourselves and holding the balloons that we pumped ourselves. We printed your own stickers and invitations. Everyone around the school gate sang for you, the higher grades, the preschoolers. You had the widest smile in the world. "I got greeted a million times." You said.

It's eleven on a Saturday night. Our children were finally, both asleep. We fire up the laptop, plug on our earphones and watch an episode of the Big Bang Theory while eating instant noodles in mugs and drinking beer at the edge of the bed. Just like those nights when you woke up at 1am so we can watch the latest Game of Thrones after I finish work.

Everyday gives me a reason not to leave Earth, the reason that makes me think I've had it all if I had to meet my end at this very moment.