Grateful Thoughts

On the first day of each new year, I wax rather sentimental.  Pulling out my journal from the previous year or so, I reread all that I was grateful for and all that I had wished for.  If the wishes came true, I look to see if they were mentioned in the following year's notes.  Last year I wished for better health, a business that continued to prosper, a way to get my family back together and a loving resolution to my relatonshiop with Jonathan, my partner of 10 years.  I wished for my daugther to find her way after having to give up her dream of being a theatrical stage director, and her scholarhsip, due to health problems. 

All of these wishes were granted, but as ususal, how they were granted left me with mixed feelings.  My health improved in some areas...I have more stamina; a gift after years with Chronic Fatigue.  My business has continued to hum along but my father's death was the catalyst for my family's healing.  Jonathan and I divorced after 10 years of marriage; it was hard to lose my best friend. but we both knew our time together was at an end..   My daughter found her new dream and is doggedly pursuing it.  It's so nice to see her excited again after wathcing her flounder for 2 years.  So, I guess the lesson here is that wishes are granted but we must find a way to be grateful for how thyey are granted even when the means is not exactly what we wanted. 

I am grateful for my family's healing.
I am grateful for my father and the love he gave me.  I carry him in my heart.
I am grateful for 10 years with Jonathan and that he and I remain friends.
I am grateful for the new love that has come my way; the love of a man who is honorable, kind, gentle and trustworthy, all the qualities I found in Jonathan. 
I am grateful that Danielle has found a new career and a new future.
I am grateful for love and loyalty of my friends; they got me through some really tough times this past year.
I am grateful that my work is still going...that people actually want to hear what I have to say.  That still just blows me away.
 
My wishes for this year?
 
I wish for even better health and the willpower to carry out my plan to attain it.
I wish for my new love and I to grow closer and that our plans to build a life together are realized this year.
I wish for my daughter to realize her dream this year with a degree.
I wish for my friends to realize all their dreams for the year.
I wish for the wisdom and understanding to continue being a voice of reason in a chaotic world.
I wish for this work to continue to fulfill the needs of those who are drawn to it; that it prosper in return.