Antidotal gratitude

First, thank-you for your support and encouragement on and off the blog. "I get by with a little help from my friends...." Blogpals are very real friends, something not everyone understands. But I suspect YOU do, because you're blogpals! You also have a collective wisdom and are willing to share it with me, for which I am grateful. Even if nothing you shared was new to me, I needed to hear it again. I will keep putting one foot in front of the other (that was never in question; my overdeveloped sense of responsibility would never let me off the hook), knowing that there will be brighter days as well as darker days ahead. And dear Sandra, I do believe you have the gift of exhortation; you have blessed me with it.

Today was a brighter day, literally and figuratively. A little sun helped, as did getting to be home some. I am an incurable hermit homebody, so most of the week I am a fish out of water.

Brian is gone with his youth group to winter camp for the weekend, so I get to spend Valentine's Day with a passing acquaintance my sweetheart – who, by the way, checked out my lame ram and then cleaned the stinky henhouse before leaving for a mid-morning call today. When I hugged him gratefully, he said "Happy Valentine's Day" – and you know what? That gift of time and effort was more appreciated than a room full of roses or giant box of chocolates! Unfortunately, he came home this evening feeling freshly defeated by whatever virus we've been battling. Still, I am delighting in this quiet evening together with instrumental sacred musical playing in the background and a fire in the fireplace. While Rick naps, I may go ahead and cast on Saroyan. It is Sabbath, and there is peace.

Hugs back atcha, from . . .