These are the reasons

The chilly air seems to freeze in my lungs but all I notice is the 360 view of the entire valley

and these are the reasons

The little boy giggles, paint covering his chubby hand and face. I stifle a laugh myself and see the mother looking almost as pleased as her son

and these are the reasons

I walk home with him and conversation flows as naturally as the air that fills my lungs

and these are the reasons

My family sits together for the first time in so long in our pew, trying and failing to stifle our laughter as we shoot each other looks because we all hear that woman singing at the top of her lungs

and these are the reasons

I feel a hand pulling me out of my sadness, my self-pity, with a welcoming smile on their face

and these are the reasons

I sigh and bend to pick up my pencil and bump my nose into it because they got to it first

and these are the reasons

His smile lights up the entire room and suddenly my life doesn't seem to suck so much

and this is why

I am alive.