so much gratitude

I've been avoiding my home computer for most of the week...not completely avoiding, but really trying not to spend hours and hours futzing around online. I've been really trying to find ways to find beauty and joy this week, and trying to do a lot of things that are good and nourishing for ME.

Last Saturday, I got to spend the day with a friend who I haven't seen for 13 years. 13 years! And it was so fun. We talked and talked and talked, and had a really awesome meal that included some lovely tea and rocking dessert (4 kinds of tea-flavored ice cream: green tea, chai, earl grey, and persian chocolate), and we walked around downtown and went into stores and laughed and laughed at some of the silly things we discovered.

I made cheese (Bondon and Mozzarella). I spent an evening helping to care for my friends' baby. I took a nap under warm, clean laundry. I spent a day fasting for Yom Kippur and really contemplating my views and values and thinking about atonement and forgiveness and really trying to be kind to myself. I spent an evening geeking out to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had a sleepover night with one of my friends before she departed for an out-of-town adventure. I've been caring for two superfluffy kitties all week. I've meditated and knit, and watched Bollywood movies. I've talked to my sisters and have emailed my little brother. I harvested the last of my "garden": a 2-inch eggplant and 4 cherry tomatoes! I took a bubble bath. And all this in my non-work time!

I've been really loving my work, too. I feel inspired and hopeful. I'm doing a lot of good and having a lot of fun. I'm planning and scheming new spreadsheet templates and wikis that will make lots of people's jobs easier.

What an awesome life I have!

Has there been crummy stuff this week? You bet. Stuff that has been painful, made me cry or get angry? Sure. And I'm not focusing on that stuff. I'm not letting it stick to me. I'm brushing myself off from each irritating or unpleasant thing and saying "ok, that sucked, but now it is over, and I learned from that and I'm moving on".

And next week, I know will be a full week and a tiring week. And I'm looking forward to the challenges and the easy stuff and seeing what comes next!