Dear Emily (aka Auntie Em):
Today I received my first "glad to be alive letter" from you. I appreciate being part of your mailing list. Your letter made me smile; not all of it of course, but your perseverance and ability to celebrate all that is good made me happy.
I am thrilled that your life has been marked by some marvelous milestones this year, and sorry for the boulders that are in your way as you put one foot in front of the other and carry on. I am delighted that your family escaped the fire without losing your home, but it makes me so sad to consider those that didn’t.
I am thrilled and glad to be alive. There are so many good things in my life. I meet wonderful people, like you and your mother, and we have the chance to celebrate accomplishments, and happy times together. This week I traveled to Houston, hugged my daughter, and had the opportunity to listen to her play violin in the Rice Symphony Orchestra. What a privilege and pleasure that was for me. Last weekend I saw my son. We celebrated his birthday, and talked and enjoyed each other’s company. My husband and I are both healthy, and we are going on dates again. We have moved close to the Botanic Gardens, and have found that we can spend an hour or so walking around, exploring a new path, or finding a new flower, and feel relaxed. We have good friends; I know that they care for us, and that we are available for them. Some days I can be kind to people I meet and don’t know because it’s the right thing to do, and it takes no more energy than being crabby. Some days I can’t sustain that, but maybe I’ll get better at it if I practice. I am tremendously fortunate.
Thank you for your note. I am thrilled to be a part of your GTBAD project, and delighted that despite all the hard parts of life there is so much pleasure to be had.
Greta Wilkening
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