𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒔 ..

lingering near someone familiar when i feel shy around everybody else · talking to animals in a softer voice as though they understand the conversation · tilting my head when something puzzles me · tucking loose hair behind my ear when i'm nervous · smoothing my skirt before sitting down · treating every inviting windowsill or window seat as a place meant for daydreaming · holding warm cups with both hands · curling my fingers inside long sleeves · sitting with my feet tucked beneath me · walking with my hands clasped behind my back · absentmindedly touching ribbons and lace for fidgeting · straightening little things that sit crooked · postponing the last chapter of a beloved book so that it never quite ends · folding wrappers and scraps of paper into smaller and smaller squares · tracing the rim of a teacup while thinking · becoming surprisingly talkative and excitable once i feel completely comfortable with someone · choosing the prettier version of an ordinary object when both are equally useful · laughing much too hard at very silly things · thinking through several possible meanings of something somebody said · showing affection by remembering preferences and quietly doing little things to make someone comfortable · happily disappearing into my own company for hours · becoming teary over happiness, kindness, beauty, and other tender things almost as easily as sadness · making something from scratch even when buying it would be much easier · rewriting a message because it sounded slightly colder than i intended · making ordinary household tasks prettier or more pleasant whenever i can · inventing nonsense words and childish little stories when i am sleepy · instinctively choosing the window seat whenever there is one · adding one last tiny decorative detail after something is technically already finished · preferring to become close to people slowly and naturally rather than forcing familiarity · arranging the room pleasantly before settling down to read, make something, or rest · remembering small things people tell me long after they have forgotten mentioning them · wondering what my childhood self would think of the life i am making · quietly relocating bugs instead of hurting them · noticing colors, textures, proportions, and tiny details without consciously looking for them · pressing cool hands against my cheeks · quietly swaying when standing still · swinging my feet when content · lowering my voice around sleeping animals · whispering to cats as though sharing confidential information · greeting little creatures encountered on walks · crouching down to inspect tiny things · stopping mid-walk for appreciating a beautiful sight · looking back at something pretty after passing it · collecting fallen flowers rather than picking living ones · carrying home little treasures from the ground · peeking beneath leaves to see what lives there · watching insects go about their business · looking upward whenever birds suddenly become noisy · noticing the moon before remembering to check the time · touching tree bark as i pass · lingering by windows when it rains · smelling the air when the weather begins to change · inventing names for things that already have names · deliberately mispronouncing words because the wrong version is prettier · repeating a pleasant-sounding word under my breath · making tiny nonsense noises when pleased · humming fragments without knowing the rest of the song · narrating small household happenings to myself · giving inanimate objects intentions and opinions · apologizing to something after accidentally bumping into it · saying goodbye to places before leaving them · thanking objects when they finally cooperate · referring to troublesome household occurrences as though they were administrative matters · making serious observations about completely unserious things · smelling ingredients before using them · peeking through the oven door instead of walking away · watching dough rise whenever i pass it · brushing stray flour from my apron with the back of my hand · saving the prettiest strawberry until last · arranging food before realizing i am arranging it · licking a little jam from the spoon · holding bread close to hear it crackle after baking · making tea and forgetting it while doing something else · warming my hands around the kettle steam · keeping especially pretty jars and boxes · tying things with ribbon when ribbon is entirely unnecessary · running my fingers over book covers before opening them · smelling both old and new books · slipping found flowers between pages · keeping little pieces of paper because they have nice handwriting · rereading handwritten notes · pressing letters flat with my palm after unfolding them · pausing with my pen in the air while searching for the exact word · writing down curious phrases before they disappear · keeping scraps that contain only a few meaningful words · turning pages carefully near their corners · leaving books open beside me as though they were keeping company · twirling loose thread around one finger · testing fabric between my fingertips · smoothing wrinkles with my palm · saving ribbon too short for any sensible purpose · keeping fallen buttons · examining seams on pretty clothes · adjusting bows until both loops behave · running a thumb along embroidery · threading a needle very close to my face · leaving half-finished crafts where i can see them · quietly admiring something after making it · mending tiny imperfections before they become large ones · opening curtains soon after waking · checking the sky before checking anything else · wandering into the garden for “just a moment” · returning indoors much later than intended · arranging flowers one stem at a time · moving plants around until everyone seems comfortable · touching new leaves very gently · checking seedlings more often than seedlings could possibly change · making myself small and cozy in chairs · choosing corners over the middle of rooms · gravitating toward the quietest place · dimming lights that feel unnecessarily bright · wrapping blankets around my shoulders like shawls · changing into soft clothes as soon as the day permits · taking off uncomfortable things without ceremony · retreating somewhere quiet after too much commotion · lingering in bed for a few minutes after waking · becoming noticeably quieter as i grow sleepy · falling asleep with my hands tucked close to my face · remembering oddly specific details and forgetting practical ones · taking the prettier route when both lead to the same place · doing something the slower way because i enjoy the process · becoming attached to objects through repeated use · preferring a slightly worn favorite to a pristine replacement · noticing when familiar objects have been moved · religiously returning little things to their specific particular places