As it neared dusk, I fired up my new grill (which has finally started working perfectly) and made myself a steak. I sat at the glass table on my patio and watched the light wane as I sampled my handiwork. From inside I heard Weezer and Sufjan Stevens playing from my computer. There were no bugs and the air was pleasantly cool. The only sound was the steady rumble of the falls in the river across the sun-warmed street.

Now I am waiting for my fiancee to come home from work so that I can make her some hot dogs. Even though it will be plenty dark when she gets here, I’ll still make her something to eat because I love her. Then I’ll surprise her with some strawberry shortcake that I made while I was waiting for the grill to warm up. Then we can spend the rest of the evening watching movies and playing Wii.

From the moment I turned on the grill I had this incredible feeling of existing. Not in some dubious spiritual way, but in a way which I only experience once in a great while. I am by no means a busy person, but every now and then when I am trying to slow down by myself, I get a chance to view where I am in life. I happen to love the place and situation I am in now, because I feel a vibrant youthfulness paired with a promise of a good life to come. Given those premeses, who couldn’t feel content?