I should try to live a little more this year.
I should be a little sillier,
Make someone laugh every day
(Even if that someone is only me—)
I should make myself laugh every day.
Whenever I’m walking with someone and see a dog
I should shout DOG with far too much enthusiasm and
I should not be embarrassed
And I should go and pet it, if there is time
(And I should make time to pet dogs–)
This year I should always have time to pet dogs.
I should wave at people when our paths cross
Even if they don’t wave back,
Even when I realize
that’s not—actually—
the person I thought it was
I should strike up more conversations and
start initiating plans and
stop texting if they never respond.
I should stop walking on grass because
There is enough space on the sidewalk for all of us and
I should stop walking with you if you
Don’t make room for me.
I should stop drowning in two feet of water
When things are out of my control
I should make a womp womp sound and move on.
I should give myself time to breathe.
I should rip the word should out of my dictionary.
And if there comes a day
In the first week of February
When I find I’ve already given up
I will not wait another year to try again.
