Seven Pillars of Gratitude

Mon amie La Belette Rouge tagged me several days ago for this meme, and I do apologize for the delay! Ah well, I’m French at heart but my calendar is very much on Island Time. Perhaps I should consider living in Martinique instead.

B. can attest to the fact that I sometimes wallow in very un-French complaining mode, but the holidays bring out the cheerful, grateful part of me, and one of my evergreen resolutions for the New Year is to be more grateful for all the blessings that life has bestowed upon me so far. It’s not difficult, as I didn’t grow up privileged, so the middle-class existence I enjoy now is reason enough to be thankful.

1. I’m thankful for my husband, whom I met almost ten years ago and had so many opportunities to never meet. My best friend, my lover, my partner, my soulmate. Corny, I know, but I speak the truth when I say that I wouldn’t be who I am today were it not for his love and unconditional support of my dreams.
2. I’m thankful for my family, both near and very, very far. We’re no more dysfunctional than the average family, although we do occasionally go on horrible benders, but they’ve been incredibly patient and generous with their love and support to me, the Black Sheep in the family.
3. I’m thankful for my off-line friends, especially J. and E. Brilliant, creative, fantastically talented J., an old college friend and dear sister-in-spirit, has been so loyal in her friendship, despite my sometimes rather lengthy absences and silences. Possibly the most insightful and intelligent artist I know, she’s definitely a keeper.
4. I’m thankful for my online friends, especially those with whom I share these random thoughts and musings on my blog. I’m so delighted to have met and befriended them, and hope that we’ll all someday have the opportunity to take the friendship off-line…perhaps atop the Eiffel Tower, or even at a charming little cafe in Gamla Stan, Stockholm?
5. I’m thankful for my health. I probably should place this at the very top of the list, as the year 2007 actually started out with my health in very poor state. It’s such a cliche that one never knows how valuable one’s health is until one loses it, so I’m so grateful that I’m closing out the year in excellent shape, the recent bout of the flu notwithstanding.
6. I’m thankful for my new career. I’ve always always always wanted to be a writer, although it wasn’t until I was well into my twenties that I realized that, lo and behold, it’s actually a legitimate profession! Who knew? It took me years to gather up the courage such a dream requires for someone in my position: I’ve no trust fund to fall back on, just a super-supportive husband and partner who believes in me. And now, I not only have awesome editors with whom I work regularly, but I’m finally realizing my dream of writing a novel. Knock on wood, it’ll be finished by the end of March (new deadline).
7. I’m thankful for my whole life, all the heartaches and joys and sacrifices and achievements. I’ve been through some fairly tough times, but I wouldn’t trade a moment of it for anything in the world. The experiences have not only toughened my spirit and given me lots of well-earned wisdom and courage, but they’ve also given me enough material for books and articles to last me another lifetime!

Now it’s my turn to throw this to someone out there in cyberspace. I’m tagging Colleen and Betty C. and Cassoulet Cafe! Merci, mes amies!

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