Rewards

Among the rewards of completing a crossword puzzle, say The New York Times Sunday puzzle

The sense of having restored a workable order to a small slab of Universe,
The sense of having competed with a designing intelligence,
The sense of having for a change made use of some arcane squib of knowledge,
The sense of having filled vacant spaces

Among the rewards of completing a short story:

The sense of understanding a tad more about your relationship to the Universe,
The sense of understanding what some of your feelings mean,
The sense of having been able to dramatize the way you feel,
The sense of having solved a puzzle,
The sense of having, for a moment or two understood time,
The sense of having been able to experience a feeling you didn't think you knew


Among the rewards of being surprised

The knowledge that you are neither so blase nor cynical as you had supposed,
The knowledge that there are things out there you hadn't anticipated,
The idea that you are a thing out there that has potential to surprise others
The awareness that surprises may be covered in surprising wrapping

Among the rewards of listening to music:

The sense of being suspended in time,
The sense of being suspended in feelings,
The sense of everything in the universe having a voice
The sense of you having a voice

Among the rewards of hanging out with cats or dogs:

The sense of having a self,
The sense of having a friend
The appreciation of instincts
The awareness of communication with another being
The value of another being

Among the rewards of a glass of cold ale

Ah!