Susan's Parting Gifts

Hi again... I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are as excited about the pending arrival of 2011 as I am. Now I know why the New Year is often symbolized with a little old guy/baby in a diaper (so maybe it's the 'out with the old/in with the new' but that baby really looks like a senior citizen)!

As you know - 2010 has been a crummy year. Sadness. Loss. Etc. By now everyone has surely heard me say how difficult it was to lose my sweet friend, Susan. Susan *LOVED* to give gifts. She was one of the most generous people I've ever known. She was also extremely creative.

And even in her illness, Susan managed to give me two last gifts. The first: she asked her daughter to have me contact a group of her friends...her "sister friends" with news of her illness. Because these ladies were so special to her they were on her mind even as she was facing the news of a terminal illness. And in her request that I notify them, she opened the door for me to get to know these lovely friends of her's. They have been lifesavers to me...we've joined together in our grief and in our fond memories of our shining Susan. And from that we've also found other common interests. I can see why Susan loved these gals so much. They are kind, generous, supportive, and encouraging. I feel very fortunate to have found their light in a time of such darkness.

The second parting gift: a reminder that life is so short and that I want to live in a way that when my life is over I'll be able to say "that was a good life."

So as 2011 approaches I'm excited about what the future holds in store. I know it's not going to be a perfect year. None are. But my plan is to make every day as special as I possibly can.

Thanks, Susan, for these gifts.

A return to gratitude

Hello Everyone,

It's been quite the day. After 6 months of hating my job progressively more each day, I walked out today. With no other job lined up and limited resources in the bank, I quit. As I was gathering my stuff my head was yelling 'hey, HEY, what are you doing???' but my heart was singing Halleluah Chorus.

And you know what I'm feeling tonight? A tiny twinge of fear that accompanies uncertainty but mostly the HUGEST sense of gratitude. Because as several people have commented, I've taken a leap of faith and opened my life up to allow good things to come in.

For over a year I kept a gratitude journal. Even when my mom and Tyler died, I was able to find things for which to be grateful. I kept it while my marriage officially ended. I kept it while I was struggling to find a job and a place to live in Knoxville. But after a month on my last job I was unable to write FIVE things every day for which to express my gratitude.

Losing Susan has reminded me that life is short. Life is precious. Entirely TOO short and too precious to surrender my gratitude. So. Tonight I turn my face forward - towards good things.

Including a return to my gratitude.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I am grateful you did. I hope your life is filled with a sense of gratitude. Tis the season.

Be Blessed, Dear Friends. I know I am.