December, 2016
The end of this year is coming to a close. Thank Heavens!
That was my first thought. It’s been
quite a year of shock, grief and loss, and a few nice surprises thrown in to
soften the rest. But as I sat to write my blog for this final month of 2016,
some other thoughts came to mind. Thankful
thoughts I will call them. So bear with me as I meander through them.
Thanksgiving comes once a year and we often save all of our
thanks giving to that one day… often around the turkey in the center of our
dinner table. But giving of thanks comes more often than that… or it should.
Most of us are guilty of not giving enough thanks when we should. As I look back over what I am thankful for in
2016, I came across a few things… and people.
I am thankful that I have a family who loves me, warts and
all. I have a daughter who stands up for those who cannot. She fights the good
fight every day of her life. My son also has a deep heart and a soul to match
for others in this world. He may not be as vocal as his sister and mother, but
he is steadfast in loyalty to those he protects with fierceness. He is a good man… no mother could ask for
more. I have a husband who might not be as wealthy as others, but who has never
shirked from hard work since he was a child. That hard work day in and day out
earned him a failing heart. But along came some miracle workers disguised as
doctors and nurses this year and we have him with us for some time still to
come. And yes, he is still working long, hard hours but that is who he is and
his way of protecting this family. If
there was ever someone who comes close to being George Bailey from “It’s A
Wonderful Life”, then that would be my husband… a huge and giving heart and
wealthy, not in money, but because of the people whose lives he has touched and
the unbounded love and optimism he gives to all.
I am thankful for a handful of dear, life-long friends who
have seen and heard it all and still manage to bring laughter and love to my
life. It is true that you may not see someone for quite a while between visits
and over long distances, yet your hearts stay as connected as if they were in
the next room. That is so true of my dearest compadres. And for those friends who have entered my
life only recently, you know who you are, too. You have shown caring in
thoughtful ways both big and small. I cherish our lunches, our day trips to search
out new adventures and back roads, and sharing hopes and sad times, too. You
help to smooth the sharp curves that life’s road throws in our pathway.
I am thankful that I have a job that is both maddening and
wonderful… often all at the same time. I get to stay young at heart because of
the wonderful young people who cross my path…first as timid freshmen far from
home and then I get the privilege of watching them walk out the door in four
years as adults with their eyes trained on the stars ahead. The best times are
those when they come back for a hug and shared laughter, often with their own
spouses and new babies in arms. I am reminded that the cycle of life and hope
for us all is still in our grasp and will continue.
I am thankful I was born to a family that wanted me. I knew great
love and still feel it around me when times are darkest. The strength I was
given as a child has served me as an adult and a parent of my own now-grown
children. I was also given the ability to stand on my own feet, reach for my
own dreams, accept defeat and learn from it, know the greatest joy and wealth
comes not from dollars but from finding like souls to share the earth with and
still be able to expect the best is yet to come.
And I am most thankful I was born a Texan and an American. I
love Texas with a fierceness that often surprises folks who meet me (such as
New York editors!) and that love is only second to that of being an American.
This country had too much blood shed for her over centuries to protect us and
give us a way of life and freedom that few others have…. but all envy. And when
it is under attack from forces outside and now, inside, its boundaries, then I
will stand up and use my voice to fight for her. When she is threatened, we all are. And when those who are weaker than I are
threatened also, then it is my duty as an American to stand beside them. I don’t shirk from that duty whether the
opposition is friend, family, or stranger.
This year saw my writing and publishing of books continue to
grow and that is something I will never take for granted. To be able to write a
book that brings a smile to someone’s heart that I have never met is an awesome
thrill and an inspiring responsibility. I hope the stories I have still to put
on the page will continue to make others’ journeys just a bit easier if only
for an hour or so… that is my greatest thanks.
The best is still to come….happy holidays and a peaceful
2017 for all,
Debra
