Happy Summer and Happy Birthday to me! Each year I take a little time to reflect on all the goodness that has touched my life over the past year and beyond. In a world where it can be easy to find fault and easy to become cynical or even complacent, I like to offer this: Find the Good. It is there and it needs you.
Here’s to the good!
1. Good health… the basis for welcoming gratitude
2. Sweet John who makes every day worth it
3. Dear friends who make this life so much sweeter–grateful that there are too many to name
4. My angel Buffy whose family continues to keep me connected to her and them
5. Uncle Howie who I will always hold in my heart and thank for creating my love of ice cream
6. Sweet Donna Lou, my mom who stays in my heart and helps guide me
7. Brother John and Sister-in-law Betsy, we are here for each other
8. Aunt Ann who picks up the phone and never fails to start with: I love you so much
9. My yoga students who STILL come to their mats every week, no matter the time zone
10. Cindy Bea who I believe when she calls me Sistah
11. The tandem adventures from Wyoming to the NC Coast–pedaling on, together
12. My bikes… who take me far and keep me close to the kid who likes adventure
13. Greg, for all his support and reality checks on my dreams
14. Michiko, my Peachy, who continues to keep her eye on me
15. Mary Mac and Phil for all the sincere joy they add to my life
16. Secret Book Club…shhhh… Your kind friendships are no secret
17. #Wearewriters—Heather and Gaye and all their intelligence and beauty, inside and out
18. Phone calls with Kara–grateful every time I hear your voice
19. Lynnie, Christie, Lindy and Loren — and friendships that weather the decades
20. Cross Country Skiing and the wonderment of winter in the woods
21. Adventures with T—Tara, who continues to say Hells Yes, I’ll do that
22. Lillie for the best London trip by showing me a familiar place through new eyes
23. Altina, the artist, force of nature and friend who continues to bloom
24. Julia and Grant who embrace me as family
25. Brooks and Lucy who have added great life to our lives
26. Nordic Lodge for hiring me and humbling me
27. Good coffee and more good coffee
28. Phyllis and our ritual of our monthly intentions check-in
29. Mamma Alice Vipiana whose voice I can hear and kindness I will always hold
30. Old friends who still pick up the phone – thanks Lytle and Lindy
31. Parks of all kinds – the sacred spaces to reconnect to nature
32. Trees… like M. Oliver said: I would say they almost save me ~ and daily
33. Pie, my self-identifier because sometimes I can be sweet and flaky
34. Passions held for writing and respect for the written word
35. All my yoga teacher pals that keep me striving to be my best self:
Heather, Alice,Terry,Tina, Debbie, Jerry
36. Running and the paths my legs still let me travel
37. Ryan who stays with me to remind me there is always gratitude to be found
38. Dave–our friend and our family–who is up for the adventure and bottle of wine
39. Sunrise, simple and true and miraculous
40. Ken and Dyan who make coming home to G’boro grand but that much tougher to leave
41. Neighbors that make life better: Jason & Marshall, Ken & Dyan, Michelle, and Alice
42. To take a risk and understand failure is not a mistake, it’s an opportunity
43. Becky and Cliff for their sweetness of humor and keeping me in their world
44. Letters! A huge gift of time and energy. Thank you Matty P!
45. Sitka Crew! I see you in my mind’s eye and hold you in my heart
46. Tina and Dick – the west coast family that I am so grateful to have
47. Special Bend Band: Xochitl, Sean, Andrew and Carolyn
48. Toby–the friend, the pilot, the person that makes us feel more like a family
49. To the younger friends who inspire me: Lillian, Emma, Annie, Adeline, Ella and Celia
50. Poetry and the inspiring poets that keep me aware of the beauty all around
51. Grandma MomaD and Bert for inspiring cribbage as a time to be together
52. Pilot John for safely taking us through many adventures
53. Tate Street Coffee, for good friends and customers and special memories
54. Appreciation for the biggest trips in life are often a short distance
55. Grateful for a special writer’s shed that wonderful John created for me to create in
56. Belief in the good … people are good; I am good. You are good
57. To all the friends who have kept me in their lives and in their hearts, I am one of the wealthiest humans alive