To see the delighted smile on a child’s face
as they succeed in the simplest task,
that is Contentment.
To be enveloped in the arms of a loved one
in the good times and the bad,
that is Endearment.
To talk to a friend after a long trying day
knowing they will cheer you up,
That is Comfort.
To receive a good grade on a difficult exam
after studying all day and night,
That is Success.
To be exhausted going through your day
knowing it is only monday but persevering,
That is Courage.
There is Magic in everything,
however, it is up to you to find it.
It is up to you to savour it.
It is up to you to be thankful for it.
The little things are up to you.
Emilie Lauria
English 110 Spring 2020 10:10-11:00 
This piece brought a sense of positivity to my mind, a smile to my face, and new thoughts to be pondered. Your use of parallelism within each stanza seems to be utilized with so much ease, and yet you were able to portray so much meaning behind each phrase. I truly appreciate your writing and encouraging words. Your message through this piece has allowed me to reflect on my actions day in and day out. I can make the little things have more meaning, and I can appreciate the things I have lost during this time more than ever. Thank you, and very well done!
-Toni Abdy
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really love this piece, Emilie. It is so inspiring and so true. Every little thing we feel and do has an impact on us, yet we normally overlook it. The line about courage really stuck out to me. Everyone has gone through a week where it is never ending, and for me, most of the time when I get to Friday I think “thank god that week is over” rather than thinking about how I finally pushed all week and made it through to the weekend. It was very well written!
-Grace Smithmyer
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved this. I loved the style, the word choice, your picture, and your voice which rang so true and clear throughout the whole piece. Unlike so many other people’s posts, mine included, you didn’t focus on the negative and then turn it into something positive, your whole poem was light and full of hope and promise. The coronavirus has upset all of our lives and daily routines, we know that, but you showed us that amongst all of that, we still have control over our outlook and the “little things,” which are proving to be most important no matter what our world looks like. Contentment, endearment, comfort, success, and courage are present even in the darkest of times as long as you are able to reflect and find it in yourself. There is magic in everything—I truly believed that when you said it. I personally have been going on hikes almost everyday and find myself feeling the same sense of hope just by letting myself realize that the world has in fact, not stopped turning. There is so much beauty to be found around us in the most simple ways, which we would have never given a second thought about before, when the world never seemed to sleep. Now especially, is a time to relish in the little things, and all the simplicities of life that we seemed to always take for granted. Now that the world seems to be at a stand still, the simple things have taken priority, and in a way, I almost think we needed that.
Emma Charles
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved how I felt after reading this. This style of writing was extremely engaging and you were able to write such a positive piece in such a despairing time. It’s really hard to keep in mind the “little things,” that make you happy, not only during this time but just in life in general. I really loved how you chose to focus on the actual meaning of the small things that happen in our day to day lives. I also love your picture of the tree, because it reminds me of the trees that are on the green on campus. 🙂 – Colleen Dwyer
LikeLike