When I was younger, I had a conversation with my mother about the things in life that bring you joy. And I remember very vividly her telling me about these small moments that brought her happiness, like a cup of tea, or watching a storm roll in. At the time, if I’m being honest, this felt so depressing to me. When I thought of joy, I was picturing rollercoasters and Christmas, snow days and camping on the beach. But now, whether it’s the benefit of age or coming to realize that appreciating the small things is often a guard against depression, I find myself leaning the same way as my mother; watching the rain, waiting for the electric kettle to bubble, and feeling a kinship with Oscar Wilde when he wrote: “Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world.”
It’s the first week of April and we’re hearing works along the theme of rain this month. Today, Christian Winn reads a poem by Josh Booton, titled “Winter Coat.” Booton is a poet and songwriter and pediatric speech-language pathologist from Boise, Idaho. His second collection of poems, The Miraculous Courageous, won the New Measure Poetry Prize.
Something I Heard is supported by Idaho Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
