A Day Late, but No Gratitude Short

I was too busy yesterday

* sitting in on a meeting of parents of high school juniors at a local high school with a friend
(no, I'm not the mother of a junior, but I will be next year. no, my son doesn't attend that school, but my friend thought I'd learn something. I learned a lot.)

* meeting a friend for coffee, a bagel, and tear-filled conversation.
Life is hard, folks. But it is much more bearable when we bear one another's burdens.

* meeting another friend for lunch, laughter-filled conversation and advice on how to recover from breast kanswer and a hysterectomy.
Kanswer is hard too, but sometimes you just have to laugh right in the face of this stupid disease.

* being turned away from a massage because I needed a permission slip from my oncologist, getting said permission slip faxed to the massage place, then being rescheduled with "one of our best therapists. Wow, I think this will be a very good fit." I look forward to my massage this afternoon. I pray the therapist and I will be a good fit.

* responding to emails from two wise and kind older women at a senior living facility where I have taught Bible studies in the past. They heard that I have kanswer and wanted me to know that they are thinking about me and praying for me. And one of them invited me to join them for lunch.

* eating dinner out with a couple whose company we thoroughly enjoy.

* and then snuggling with my hubby last night to post my gratitude list yesterday.

I hope you will forgive the lateness of this post.

*************

Even before yesterday, there were many other causes for gratitude...

* fresh-squeezed orange juice
* the fact that my taste buds are back in full service
* the instant gratification of using a vacuum cleaner

The wonder of grass along the sidewalk

The many phases and the persistence of dandelions 

 Do I really use dandelion greens in my morning juice sometimes?

Yup - and I love it.

* my husband and daughter's hard work at establishing a fruit and vegetable garden on our back deck: parsley, basil, mint, tomatoes, strawberries, kale, and other goodies

* running into a friend at Home Depot's garden center when I went to get more organic dirt for Steve and Kristiana's master garden

* not having to get any dirt under my fingernails in the endeavor

* the prospect of spending four days on the beach with two of my dearest friends. I'll be away from tomorrow afternoon until Wednesday afternoon. Let the glorious getaway begin!

The beautiful view from my lunch table the other day 

 Another view from the same table - I enjoy exploring in my hometown

Chihuly's glass works make me smile

* all the stories of healing and recovery I am receiving from so many people these days
* no more of those awkward moments after someone tells the gruesome story of a friend who died tragically and painfully of the same kind of kanswer I have
* confirmation of my hopes and dreams from people who don't even know what I've been hoping and dreaming, but their words and their encouragement affirm and confirm what I've been wishing for
* sunshine this morning after last night's torrential rain washed away the layer of pollen that had coated everything here in Charlotte

I am tremendously, profoundly, supremely grateful

for the light at the top of the staircase I'm on.

It may be a steep climb.

It will be a steep climb.

But the end is in sight.

The end is clearly in sight.