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Gratitude Friday

1. Morning walks. I’m realizing that walks with Ringo may just be the only thing that has stayed the same (minus Sam), even with a global pandemic, climate crisis, downfall of civilization. Amidst all the nonsense and chaos, here at the end of the world, in the middle of nowhere, there’s still the dog and the walk and the river.

2. Practice, alone and together. It sustains me, supports me, saves me. On a practical level, it gives me something to do, every single day, is constant and consistent, something I know and can trust.

3. Vaccines. In particular for the one for COVID-19, and that people I love and those who have worked so hard to care for the rest of us through this will be protected, as much as they can be.

4. Comfort. Blooms inside, art card mail, tiny marshmallows in my coffee in my favorite mug, kitchen counter love notes — all proof that people love me, that I’m not alone.

5. My tiny family, my tiny house, my tiny life. They are my favorite.

Bonus joy: naps, cookies, clementines, drive through pharmacy, pay day, laundry, clean sheets, a warm shower, a big glass of cold clean water, down blankets and pillows, snow, birds at the feeder and singing in the nearby trees, deer tracks in the fresh snow (I don’t know why but it makes me ridiculously happy that they are out there in the dark just walking down the sidewalk), sleepy Ringo, “singing” with Ringo, Parkour Ringo, the pool, sitting in the sauna with Eric, my masseuse Dana, snow shovels, the four dogs that live across the street, texting with my mom and brother and Chloe’, writing and hanging out with Mikalina, Wild Writing and my Friday morning writing sangha, comedy shows, streaming online yoga classes, having all the props so I can take a restorative class with one of my favorite teachers online from home.

Gratitude Friday

 1. Morning walks. Just like most of the country, we had extra cold temperatures and more snow, so Ringo spent most of the week either not walking (Monday morning was -11 degrees!) or running with Eric, but there was one day where it was 21 degrees and less than an inch of new snow had fallen, so I got to go with.

2. Making something that doesn’t have to be anything. I’ve enlisted my dear friend Mikalina to help me get back in touch with my intuition, my creative wisdom, that thing that inspires everything else. I’ve lost touch with it, (thanks burnout, thanks COVID-19, thanks capitalism), and to do the work I want to do, live the life I want, I need to get that connection back. Mikalina is giving me creative homework each week and it’s softening and unlocking something I’ve missed SO MUCH.

3. Practice. This week I remembered that practice isn’t about making or doing something good or correct but rather showing up, making space for what might arise. It’s not about getting it right, but about seeing where it goes.

4. Comfort. Naps in a dark room cuddled under a down blanket. Hot coffee with tiny marshmallows in one of my favorite mugs. That corner of the couch with the pillows and a blanket. Birds in the feeder. A warm shower and clean pjs. Clean laundry. Sitting in the sauna with Eric. The feel of Ringo’s soft fur and warm body. The sound of a dog sigh. Stretching. Clementines. Watching Antiques Roadshow with Eric. Taking the Facebook app off my phone and staying off altogether for three whole days. Reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

5. My tiny family. Sure, I’ve experienced some bad luck, disappointment, and other really bad stuff in my life, but my tiny family is my version of winning the lottery.

Bonus joy: Friday morning Wild Writing, the four dogs that live across the street, grocery pickup, sunshine, writing and hanging out with Mikalina, good books, podcasts, comedy, new sheets, Eric and Ringo napping together on the couch, “singing” with Ringo, that at least while he’s the only dog Ringo has all the toys all over, Girl Scout Thin Mints, soft chewy bread, toasted walnuts, texting with my mom and brother and Chloe’, fingernail clippers, scissors, stick glue, Zoom, birthdays, knowing your people are safe, dog rescue, electricity, clean water, snow tires, swimming pools.