Thoughtful stories for thoughtless times.

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I hear that there are people in the world who prefer lighthearted stories. Lovely meet-cutes where no one gets hurt and people even fall in love, where there is serendipity like there used to be before the internet, where good things happen to good people. Cozy mysteries that involve a cat—or possibly, as in one of the stories included below, a bird. I hear that these people like to remember all the ways the world can be good and surprising and curious and silly. I hear they like to laugh. I hear, at the very least, that they have lower blood pressure.

I recently stopped drinking so I could better maintain a grip on the last vestiges of my sanity. (And lower my blood pressure). Some days, not drinking is a very good decision. Other days, I look at the news and not drinking seems like the dumbest idea I’ve ever had. But any veteran sober sojourner will tell you that these moments are the times when you need to phone a friend, take a walk, do something to distract yourself.