I am thankful for roller coasters. 2020, unlike Disney’s or Universal’s, has been one ride no one signed up for. It has had lows, highs, moments of panic, but in retrospect, it has been a fun one.
I am thankful for the rays of sun and meditations that brought me an immense sense of well-being and joy. Sometimes, they were followed by an is-everything-too-perfect?-kind of anxiety (perhaps catalyzed by daylight savings), and then followed by a good time with friends, sitting by the fire and drinking spiked cider.
I am grateful for the left side of my couch, where I feel happy and safe. In there, I have cried to endless “This is Us” episodes and read another Hosseini book that made my heart shrink. From my desk, I also saw my sister take naps, in those days that felt like we were back in 2014.
I am thankful for my new home and for the one in which I lived before, apartment 1303. Since I left my parent’s house in 2015, the places where I lived were nice, but had something missing. These last two have been where I have truly felt at home. Particularly, the latter. It’s the big windows, overlooking the changing trees; the kitchen island where we have every meal; and the white and grey rug, the only place where I allow myself to be bare foot.
I am grateful for the technologies that allow my loved ones to feel closer. It is ridiculous to think we have had them for years, but we never used them to celebrate special occasions. My family has had some ups and downs this year, but at least we are all safe, healthy and thriving in our own ways.
I am thankful for the cup of coffee I get to enjoy every morning, drinking out of the uneven mug with the kitty in it. I am no fan of animals but seeing that little cat makes me smile every time. Pumpkin, cinnamon, hazelnut, vanilla-flavored ground coffee, so pure and delightful. The Trader Joe’s creamer to complement it… It is just an unimprovable way to kick the days off.
The kitty mug and my kindness diary. They are companions pretty often.
I am grateful for pop culture and all the laughs and happy tears it has brought to an agitated time. Taylor Swift’s Folklore and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia had me listening to entire albums again; Duda Beat and Silva had me singing in Portuguese for months; and I have taken to liking Justin Bieber in this older age. On TV, I have loved everything produced by Mindy Kaling (the Mindy Project is THE BEST), The Crown (season 4 should have been longer), Mrs. America and most recently, This Is Us (I know I mentioned it before, but I am in love).
I am thankful for Kamala and Jacinda and all the strong, amazing women everywhere who keep shattering glass and following their dreams, inspiring us all to aim higher. I am thankful for the tears of joy and the times I applauded their accomplishments and their leadership in these turbulent times.
I am grateful for the fall and everything that comes with it: the crunchy leaves, the hot beverages, the winery day-trips, the colorful hikes, the pumpkin-spice everything, the crisp air...
I am grateful for my relationship and the way it has not only survived but become more mature. We panicked at the beginning of the pandemic, found some hobbies together that we later dropped, cooked for each other and traveled to the most awe-inspiring places in this country. The month we spent in California surrounded by his family, going to the beach, eating paletas. I never dreamed that would happen.
Lastly, I am thankful for myself and the things I achieved this year. At 27, I have still not created my “life’s work”, but I started this blog, which is a start... and a testament of who I am and where I want to go. I am grateful for my professional growth and for all the things I still have to learn. I am thankful for the days I came through to work out and keep myself healthy, learning to enjoy it a little bit more. I am grateful for the days in which I thought the anxiety for what the future might bring would get the best of me, ruin me. I am grateful for my mistakes, for the imperfect moments I brought upon myself and for- I want to believe- coming better out of it.
Thank you, God and Virgin Mary, for this roller-coaster of a year. I can’t wait to hop on the next ride!
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