photo: Dennes hole, Matai river, Nelson. Learning to contextualise the small daily irritations.

The day begins with a finger stuck in the zipper, a thought that refuses to settle, sand in the shoe that I only notice once it is laced. Then the autumn light does its work, spreading its gold on the beach as if nothing had happened. And there, without me realizing it, when the light touches my face, the irritation of too strong coffee, a postponed appointment, disappears in the calm light washed by the salt and the silent generosity of the day. The petty sabotage of my joy by daily annoyances returns to its rightful place, in the box of minor worries that do not deserve to ruin my day.