100 Days of Gladness: Day 25

NaPoWriMo: “Email Attachments”

screenshot courtesy of author

“Email Attachments”

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend in my life.
I’m subscribed to a few beloved newsletters —
The Marginalian (Maria Popova),
Pádraig Ó Tuama (Poetry Unbound),
Daily Dharma (Tricycle Magazine) —

but I rarely read them.
And — I won’t delete them.

With infinite patience, these messages
wait for me. They lie down, resting
in their bold “unread” font.
They don’t judge. They
just wait for my eyes
to come visit.

Why do I treat them this way?

1. Their presence in the unread category
   feels like a promise, an unopened gift, a future vacation.
2. They are substantial, thought-provoking pieces.
   I always think tomorrow I’ll have more time to devote to them.
3. Because they’re dressed in bold type, their importance weighs
   more than the ebills, the entreaties from cosmetics companies (take your eyelashes to the next level!), the shrill political bullying.