Oneiric visits

I am grateful to be blessed by the occasional visits of my beloved Buzz. Just a few hours ago, I was in my neighbor's shop, and I saw Buzz across the street, looking at me, his tail wagging slowly at first, then faster as I bounded across the street, arms open to embrace him. At last, we were reunited, a tsunami of joy washing over me. Buzz died over four years ago. And sometimes, he comes over at night and we are together again. As we lose the ones we love, those nightly visits are such precious, unexpected gifts - little glimpses of what life together used to be. Others continue to come and leave their mark in my heart, but I will always look forward to Buzz's visits, even though they leave a few tears in their trail.

New growth

I am surrounded by swelling buds and exploding blossoms these days. Daffodils, cherry and dogwood trees are flowering and sending waves of joy all around. They are also sending a message of hope and renewal, a sense that there is still so much unrealized potential and worthwhile endeavors out there. I am grateful for their giving me renewed energy to keep tending to fragile and painstaking beginnings. They too deserve to come to their joyful fruition.

The forest

I am so grateful to be able to walk in the forest at a moment's notice. The sounds of my everyday urban life vanish and the air becomes crisper. The chatter gradually fades and I revel in the silence around me. Being among the trees resets my racing mind and helps me reconnect to my core. My focus shifts to purple moss agglomerates, delicate white mushrooms, a drying brook trickling atop sleek stones, and worries about finding the next client become less overwhelming. The forest shares its vital force so lavishly if I just take the time to visit.

Our veterans

I have so much gratitude toward all the men and women who put themselves in harm's way to defend the values we hold dearest. France's motto is "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité". Like millions of men and women, my father and grand-father bravely stepped up to fight for what makes our everyday lives so easy and comfortable. It is impossible to imagine the stress our soldiers go through on the battlefield. It is equally impossible to express to them how indebted we are to their sacrifices. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for volunteering to fight for the greater good.

Eyeglasses!

My glasses are humble saviors that allow me to see the world around me. Thanks to their magic powers, I can play a game of "now I see it-now I don't" with my surroundings. I am grateful for the ingenuity which allows us to transform - most often for the better - the infinite obstacle course that makes up our lives. Our ability to solve problems and make life easier really is a hallmark of the human condition. Tools ever refined and specialized, help us achieve, build, explore, and transform our universe. While I may not ever transform the universe, my glasses are vital helpers in my attempt to build a good life.

All systems are go

My body is a miracle of precise engineering. For decades now, every second of every day has been filled with a staggering number of complex chemical reactions. My body transforms the air I breathe and the food I eat into usable tools that allow my life to unfold. This miraculous vessel carries me through every activity - walking, dancing, cooking - and obeys (most) every command, bending and stretching upon request. Even though I expect some wear and tear at some point (was that a little creak in my right knee?), I am so grateful to have been blessed with a body that steadily performs its intended purposes.

Dedicated gardeners

I am forever grateful to the steadfast men and women who work day after day to bring food to our tables. My parents, grand-parents, and great-grand-parents all maintain(ed) vegetable and fruit gardens as a matter-of-course part of their lifestyle. Our family dinners always reflected the fruits of their labor in that patch of land in the back of the kitchen. I have broken this family tradition since moving to the New World, but I am grateful to have friends who do grow their own food, and who are generous enough to share their bounty. Thank you for your investment of time, energy and love to create all the delicious and nutritious meals that we share together. You are making an important, positive difference in our lives.
(I am also so very grateful to First Lady Michelle Obama for her remarkable work with the White House kitchen garden, chronicled in her book American Grown)