What Helps

I jog two miles out into the woods,

    where I sit by the river

      and listen.

And it helps.

Then, I touch every tree on the trail during the walk back home,

  thanking them

    for giving me oxygen.

And I imagine them thanking me

    for giving them carbon dioxide.

As I breathe 

    I look up to the top of every tree

      and they all seem

       so unique.

I wonder what they'd say if they could really speak?

After that, I try to feel the sun or the wind on my skin.

I breathe

   and try to believe 

    things will get better.

And it helps.

I go work with disabled kids,

    and making them laugh

helps a little.

I go write it all down for four people to read about,

and it helps. 

-CH 1/14/26