Happy Thanksgiving
or, Thanks in Open Letter Format
Dear God, Jesus, Mary, Nature, Synchronicity, Fate, Buddha and the Universe,
Thank you for my children, my boyfriend, my family and my friends. Thank you for my job, my car and the continued relative safety of my apartment. Thank you for the fact that my book finally got published, and for any good things that may be arranging themselves for my second book as we speak. Thank you for my relative good health.
Although I’ve been complaining a lot lately, I do realize that I have more than a lot of people do, and I do appreciate it. Although I’ve worked hard for the things I have, I do realize that they still probably wouldn’t be possible without some luck, which may otherwise be known as the influence of one or more of you.
Dear kids,
Thank you for being good, smart, and awesome children. I love you. Despite my infrequent (ranging to frequent) bitching at you, I cherish the time I spend with y’all and I want you to know that my life would be meaningless without you. Y’all are going to grow up to be decent, creative, witty, good people, and most of it is because of who you are and what you are doing now. So I’m thankful to be a part of your lives.
Dear boyfriend,
Thank you for being in my life. Thanks for making me laugh, listening to me and supporting and defending me in everything I do. Thank you for being yourself – smart, nurturing, brave and independent – and therefore renewing my faith in men. Also, thank you for being so freaking cute all the time.
Dear friends,
Thank you so much for listening to me whine. Thank you for your intelligent perspectives and good counsel. Thanks for being honest, loving and trustworthy. It’s not just a pleasure, but a sanity-saving relief to have friends like y’all. I can only hope that I am as good a friend as you’ve all been to me.
Dear family,
We’ve been through so much shit together – that alone would make y’all important people in my life. But, on top of our shared history, y’all continue to make me laugh and be there for me when I need you. I love y’all. Thanks for sharing my blood.
Dear job,
Even though I’ve said a lot of bad things about you this year, thank you anyway for being around. I know you do the best you can for me, and I appreciate it.
Dear car,
Thank you for running so well and so fast. Thank you for not letting us die earlier this year when I skidded you too hard. Thank you for never letting the CD player skip unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. I do love you. I promise I’ll wash you and replace your headlights soon.
Dear self,
Thank you for working so hard. I know you’ll work even harder in 2005 and I promise to help you do that, and I promise to take care of you better.
Dear readers,
Thank you for continuing to read my stuff. It wouldn’t exist without y’all. Thanks for all the kind emails and comments you’ve written, and for the kind thoughts you’ve thought. I hope y’all have many, many things to be thankful for this year, and that next year will be even better.
Love,
Gwen
