The Things That Make Us Want To Be A Better Person

A poem

Megan Minutillo
2 min readFeb 28, 2024
Photo by Ecaterina MD on Unsplash

My son, when he wants me to read him five books before bedtime / and when he smiles at me when I come to get him after he’s woken up from a nap / The neighbor who always stops to ask me how I’m doing / and leaves a box of Christmas cookies on our doorstep / The waiter who brings my little guy a coloring book and an entire box of crayons / just so my husband and I can sip our wine and taste it / My friend who battled breast cancer / and now teaches the world how to be better / especially to those who have had it / The parents who treat other children as if they were their own / The strangers who hold doors open / The artists who write about / and paint about / and compose about / what others cannot put into words / The doctors who carry their patients in their hearts / long after they leave the office or the OR / The teachers who get visits from their students ten / fifteen / twenty years after they were in their class / The way a heart can break / and still forgive / The way our kids / will always find the joy.

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Megan Minutillo

Essayist, poet, and theatre producer. I write stories about self-awareness, IVF, and finding your footing in life’s messy moments. Instagram: @meganminutillo.