I may be almost a week late with my list, and mired in the depths of end-of-semester blues, but it doesn't mean I can't be grateful for my many blessings. Here are a few:
Our day was wonderful: cooking, eating and falling asleep in front of an endless stream of football games, in the company of family and friends. Only my sister's absence kept it from being absolutely perfect. Sure, it's hard to go back for two more grueling weeks before the end of the term -- but what a gift, this oasis of good food and good company, just when things are starting to get tough.
I hope your Thanksgiving was blessed, too! And I'd love to hear about it.
- My job. Not just because I have one, when so many others don't. Because my job provides a model of faith and monasticism for young, impressionable women. Some of them, praise God, will take vows themselves and go off to pray for the rest of us. To have any part in that process is a great honor.
- My house. Again, so many others aren't this fortunate; for me, my house is a sanctuary. When I don't have school, it's not unusual for me to stay here all day, just because it's peaceful and it's home.
- School. To quote a dear friend, "The problem with me is, I always think I'm smarter than everyone else." As much as I criticize my graduate education, I'm grateful to it for reminding me that no, I'm not. Not everyone else, anyway.
- The farmers' market. It's a real privilege to be able to buy local, seasonal produce from real people who care about what they do. It's also the best food you can find anywhere. The Nativity fast isn't so bad when you can make pasta puttanesca with the sauce you canned out of local tomatoes and basil.
- Birkenstocks. I had to drag these college-era workhorses out of the closet and dust them off, and I may be sacrificing a slice of my already-crippled fashion sense by wearing them everywhere (even with socks . . . horrors!) but I have to say that my feet hurt a lot less in them. Hail to the Germans.
- You, gentle reader. Your quirky responses make my day, whether posted here or brought up at another unexpected moment. I'm still not sure what I'm doing here, but I'm glad you're here with me.
Our day was wonderful: cooking, eating and falling asleep in front of an endless stream of football games, in the company of family and friends. Only my sister's absence kept it from being absolutely perfect. Sure, it's hard to go back for two more grueling weeks before the end of the term -- but what a gift, this oasis of good food and good company, just when things are starting to get tough.
I hope your Thanksgiving was blessed, too! And I'd love to hear about it.
