art, as i grew to understand it, was a sanity-saver. an entity pressed to the fore when needed to combat depression, anxiety, fear. it was light against the darkness of the unknown.

for the most part, it still is.

and maybe that’s why i haven’t been writing as much lately.

i’m in a damn good place in a great many ways.

things to be thankful for? that the only strife in my life is strife i choose to create. that i am a man fortunate to find himself choosing between dreams, not choosing between fated realities. that the woman i love does so by putting my dreams before hers - asks no quarter or sacrifice, asks only that i do what makes my soul smile. that there are people in the world with that courage, that i strive to offer the same to her, my family, my friends.

that the snow here has been piled high for sledding, that croquet awaits this afternoon (good, goofy friends in the frigid air), that people dance like maniacs, that there are good books nearby, that i’m learning - always learning, that there is understanding found in many places, that the weekend was full of brilliant blue skies and low winds - that we played outside in clothing the average minnesotan would wear at 32 above when it was 32 below, that i’m playing at the bottom of the earth, that i know which direction to shout a hello to my friends back home from, that the food is grand, that wine brought out a great many smiles (and stories) at last night’s celebration…

that there are people willing to laugh at themselves.

that i have been lucky enough to be the places i’ve been, loved whom i’ve loved, and find each passing moment to be of endearing and lasting value.

that tomorrow is another day in a long procession of growth.

that there is a smile waiting for me this spring.

that i am a member of this group of humanity all striving to figure out just what it is to be human…

these are some of the things i’m thankful for.

quite a few, on a sappy, lazy, sunday afternoon - and many more unnamed.

now, off to play in the snow again.