Gratefulness

It is customary to count one's blessing on Thanksgiving day and to take stock in all the abundance and gifts that are swirling about. As most of you know, this has been a particularly challenging and tumultuous year for me, but I cannot help but feel incredibly grateful and thankful today...

How lucky am I to be spending Thanksgiving at the Becher's in Brownsburg, Indiana with my dear old friend Wendy! They have all been so amazingly welcoming and warm and open-hearted that I feel blessed to have such dear friends and be able to experience a heartland holiday once again. This has been a lot of fun and a place where I can be my unglamorous self and have limitless laughs in the process. It is special and healing and I truly appreciate this visit.

My girl and my kids are scattered across the country. I am glad that Tiger is able to spend the holiday with her family and I know how much she was looking forward to spending time with her daughter, her sister, her mom and other family members--not to mention getting to satisfy that craving for some East Coast pizza. As much as I miss her, I know that she is right where she needs to be on this particular holiday and I know she feels great about her adventure. One of the most delicious gifts of this past year has been the arrival of this woman in my life and it has taken us nearly an entire year to get where we are. Amidst all the changes and twists and turns and loss of 2009, the building and growing of our relationship is one of the elements I am most grateful for. As we move our "stuff" across the threshold of our new home together next week, I know I will be shaking my head at how we got from "My name is..." to a shared lease!

Those three fabulous young adults that are my kids are more abundance and thankfulness for me. I love how capable, interesting and evolving they are and I appreciate how loving they have been in letting me take this trip to Indiana for a holiday that we customarily spend together. I miss them, but I have talked to all of them repeatedly and I know that they are making room for a different holiday with their dad's family and it will be great. I am so grateful to have these three unique and special people in my life that I thank the universe for them at every turn.

Reconnecting with my family and getting through my own dad's passing and funeral, meeting new people and making new friends, and all the work that has been a part of my past year are all other things I feel gratitude for. I appreciate that I do feel so connected to the world and that my world continues to get larger and I appreciate that I can help and be helped and know that all this trial and tribulation is temporary. With all the loss of the past year and all the drastic changes, I value focusing on all the gains and abundant surprises that have come into my life as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!