The sensation of your pink cheeks hitting the heated air
after stepping inside from a cold morning walk
The itchiness of a wool hat on your scalp and ears
and the smell of coffee in the morning
is appreciable as you settle into the kitchen
Your skin is soft and warm underneath your cable sweater
and snow flutters outside so slowly and lightly
and every surface inside is accompanied by stacks of books
as blankets are for every seat
Squirrels and chipmunks play with each other outside
as inside humans belly laugh on a call with their loved one
Worn rugs, framed pictures, lit candles
a table full of hot, fresh food
these are the things you find in a worn house
A house that has been lived in
Houses don’t care how long they will last
or how big and grand they are
or if their paint chips
They only care about the simple cup of tea
they can give you now
A worn house actually rejoices in its paint chips
in the pain that it has struggled through
and the shelter it provides in its underbelly
Mornings in the worn house
remind us of all the past mornings that have been there before us
all of the mornings that have persevered despite all of the pain
all of the pain that even helped give it its beautiful little rug tears
and table stains
The memories of the mornings in the worn house
make us feel warm enough
and safe enough
to close our eyes
Ali Walks Around 