Savor It

by Tarah DeWitt

“When people say that life’s too short, I know that philosophy tends to be synonymous with indulgence or with hurrying to accomplish or chase something. Like ‘life’s too short, so you gotta make a name for yourself or see the world now’ sort of thing. But in my case, life’s already reminded me enough times that it’s fleeting.” I feel him looking at me as I run my hand back and forth along one of the oars on the wall. “And I decided a long time ago that life being too short and too beyond my control meant that I’d let the small stuff feel big. To me, at least. If it’s something that doesn’t matter to most, I think that means someone’s gotta care a little more, right? Discarded pets, pretty flowers”—I look pointedly toward Patty’s clothing section—“some raggedy kid that won’t go on to do anything that changes the world.” Our gazes clash, and I don’t let myself blink away. “So don’t think I choose those things just because I’m too nice. I’m not. I’m fully capable of deciding I want to do something because of how it makes me feel.”