Why _____ ?

“Why write?”

Most mornings I wake to the sound of birds singing outside my window.

Long ago; far beyond the limits of my memory, I marveled at the sound of birdsong for the first time. Though I appeared thoughtless as I sat drooling on myself in my crisp, white, first diaper of the day; in that moment, I appreciated the songs of the birds for what they truly are:

Beautiful!

Miraculous!

I gratefully crawled closer to the window.

Then, all too soon; I was taught that birdsong was free and available to everyone. Therefore, it had no value. I was deafened to the music. At best, I took the companionship of the birds for granted. At worst, I considered them a nuisance, as their chatter woke me earlier in the morning than I would have liked.

Now, half a century later, I’ve re-learned what I knew as a baby. I hear the birds loud and clear, and I am grateful for their music once again.

Why write?

Most mornings I wake up to the sound of birds singing outside my window.

That’s a good enough reason to write.

That’s a good enough reason to smile.

That’s a good enough reason to breathe.

That’s a good enough reason to live.

It’s as simple as that.