Who is a person who you find yourself especially grateful to this year? It can be someone new in your life or someone who’s been around for a long time but who either did something specific this year or who stepped up generally across the year. Pick ONE person and tell us why. To make it even more challenging, no partners, parents, or kids. Tell us who and why.
Julie: I’m going first, and I’m already cheating. Last year my parents went into an assisted living facility, and this year we moved my mother to another floor into memory care. For any of you on this journey, you know how challenging this can be. I am SO grateful for the staff of the facility, and the care they give my parents. My father still refers to it as a minimum security prison, but he appreciates all that people do to take care of him. And my mother is being well taken care of, a huge blessing. Grateful is too small a word for the peace of mind they bring my sisters and I.
Edith/Maddie: Can I kind of cheat, too? Alexandra Santiago Llegus agreed to marry my son John this year. A talented designer and graphic artist, a woman beautiful in spirit and appearance, and a warm, affectionate soul, Alex is making my son happy beyond description.
It took my younger kid a while to find his true love (he’ll be thirty-four in January), and I am infinitely grateful he and Alex have decided to seal their bond with a wedding in Puerto Rico in February.
Liz: Is it cheating to say my therapist?? I don’t think I’ve ever acknowledged what a huge difference she’s made in my life. I’ve been working with her for years and she’s really helped me see some of the patterns I’ve been stuck in that have impacted my life. She’s taking a few months off to have a baby and I was thinking about how I’ll survive without her (LOL) and realized how grateful I am for the work we’ve done together, especially during times of massive change like this year.
Sherry: If laughter is good for the soul then I’m very lucky to have my daughter. It’s been a wonder to watch her grow into the hard working, charming, funny (oh, so funny) woman she’s become. She was a huge help after my husband had his hip-replacement surgery last fall. She’s great company and loves fiercely.
Barb: You people are impossible! Remind me not to put any restrictions on answers to future posts. This year I am grateful for my friend, Carol. We’ve been friends for years, colleagues, and business partners at important times. The gratitude, respect, and support goes on into our fourth decade.
Readers: Who is a person in your life you are grateful for in 2022? (I won’t even try to put the restrictions on you that I put on the Wickeds–no partners, parents, or kids–since that clearly was a failure.)