The wine glasses have been polished and returned to their cabinet, and the leftover turkey has been tucked away in the refrigerator. Thanksgiving Weekend is nearly over.
I don’t want it to slip away without mentioning how grateful I am.
If you’ve read between the lines in my (scant) posts over the last few months, you know that it’s been a tough year for me on the personal front. There has been much sadness, and many tears, and more sleepless nights than I can count. My heart is still raw and punky and sore, and summoning my usual optimism has felt like a chore.
But that's not the whole story. Not by a long shot. I could easily stay stuck on the sad, discordant events of 2007, but the fact is that they’re only a small part of the rich narrative that has run through the year.
This weekend, I’ve taken some time to reflect on all that is good and precious and true in my life. There is so much – it makes me weak in the knees when I think of it. I’m a blessed girl, truly I am.
Here are just a few of the many things I'm grateful for:
- My grandmother, whose presence I still keenly feel, even though I can't call her on the phone anymore. She was one of the best people I’ve ever known. She loved her life, and she loved the people around her.
- My family. My wise, brave, tender-hearted sisters, whom I adore. My brothers, though I don’t get to see them enough, and their beautiful children. My parents, who still make yogurt and grow organic vegetables and hunt for wild mushrooms. My grandfather, still grieving the loss of his lifetime love. My eclectic and abundant assortment of aunts and uncles and cousins.
- Friends who open their hearts and their homes, and listen, and don’t judge. Friends who lift heavy boxes without complaining. Friends who understand when I say: "No, I'm not coming out," night after night. Friends who say: “I’m coming over right now,” before I have to ask. Friends who keep handing me tissues, and don’t wonder (out loud) when I’m going to get a grip. You know who you are, and you’re very close to my heart right now.
- The enthusiastic, passionate, wonderful clients that I’ve had the good fortune to work with over the last year. From rewriting websites to writing copy for wine labels to interviewing some of my favorite chefs, to all of the projects currently on my desk, I’ve had a kick-ass year on the writing front. I GET TO WRITE FOR A LIVING! I get to do what I love – wrestling with phrases and culling adverbs and puzzling over how to communicate better. I know how lucky I am, and I’m more grateful than I can express.
- The skittish, fearful, beautiful greyhound who is lying on the floor beside me as I type this. Yes, she farts when she’s nervous, especially when she’s riding in an unfamiliar car (see above note on amazing friends), but she’s been a wonderful companion over the last few months.
- Cotton hoodies and crisp white sheets and warm slippers and hot coffee. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the difference.
I hope you’ve all made good use of your leftovers, and that you’re enjoying the last day of this luxuriously long weekend.
The holidays are upon us! Be merry. Suddenly, I am.
