Things that make me ache with love

​The candle in my neighbors’ kitchen window,
lit every single day at dawn.
 
The students in the German for Refugees class
who this week cleaned their teacher’s desk with disinfectant
before his arrival.
 
The smile of apology
on the face of the woman who sells me eggs this morning
as she avoids
touching my hand.
 
The elderly couple, holding on to each other
in the supermarket aisle
as they discuss 
expiration dates.
 
The children screaming with laughter as they race each other down the street
in the sunshine.