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Poetry

Instead of…

Today, instead of sitting in your home
Staring into the warm glow of your phone,
Lay on your back outside and let the orange glow
of the sun warm your body.

Instead of Facebook, read a book — any book.

Instead of tweets on Twitter,
Listen to the the tweets of birds in your yard —
The cardinals, the chickadees, even the crows.

Instead of a soft drink,
Or a beer,
Brew a hot mug of tea
Or drink a cool glass of water.

Instead of saying something negative
Or cynical
Or versed in anger,
Consider not speaking at all for the moment.

Instead of letting your kids sit inside
And play video games or fiddle with apps on screens,
Turn off wifi, open the screen door,
And go for a walk in nature,
Or even a bike ride.

Instead of Netflix and chill, just chill.
Do nothing. Empty your mind.
Let it wander to the spaces in between.

Instead of letting today pass you by, embrace the day.
Every minute.
Every hour.

By Jeffrey Pillow

Jeffrey Pillow is an American short story writer, memoirist, and poet. He is the author of The Lady Next Door. His writing has been published in Urge Magazine, The Nervous Breakdown, 16 Blocks, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, TheBody.com, New York Times, Washington Post, and Richmond Times-Dispatch.

He grew up in the small town of Phenix, Virginia, population: 200, and now lives in Charlottesville with his wife, two kids, and a dog named Mozzarella Cheese. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he was a Rainey Scholar. This is his blog.

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