Thanks

... for the usual: my faith, freedoms, friends, family, health, food, shelter, and job.

But also...

... for my talents, my strengths, my weaknesses, those who aren't afraid to tell me I'm wrong, the opportunities I'm given to learn, the education I've received thus far, the opportunities I'm given to serve, those who inspire me to be a better person, those who are always there on the rare occasions that I'm humbled enough to ask for help.

And... strawberry rhubarb pie.

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

What is this feeling?

For the first time ever, I do not have the slightest bit of dread on Monday mornings.

When my workday is supposed to be done, I don't leave as soon as I possibly can.

I will work for 6 or so hours until my growling stomach reminds me I've forgotten to eat that day.

Translation: my new position at work has been a very good change. It's a lot more fun to fight hunger on the front lines than on the back ones.

Two posts in the same week?!

... Hope I don't pull a muscle or anything.

I don't know how else to say this, but... I love people.

There is not a day that goes by when I'm not touched by someone and they have absolutely no idea that they're, um, touching me. (Careful.)

For example...

Yesterday I was in my car running errands for work. I drove past a pretty forgotten little street right next to the freeway, and in one glance I took in a parked garbage truck, a smaller car parked behind it, and a man, a woman, and a small child being held by the man standing near the two parked vehicles. And from that one glance I knew it was a man who drove a garbage truck for a living who had stopped for his lunch break, and his little family had driven out to meet him wherever he was, just to spend that one hour (or however long) with him.

I wanted to pull over and give them all a big hug. (I didn't. Believe it or not, I have SOME sense of social propriety.)

Another example: When I get the time I will spend my lunch at a park right near my work. I'll go park my car under the trees full of falling yellow and gold leaves, and I'll whip out a book and read during my break. Well, recently I've noticed that the same car always shows up around the same time I do; a middle-aged woman who will park some distance away from me, and then also just sit in her car and sometimes will whip out a book. Without having spoken to her I feel a bit of camaraderie with this woman. I don't know what she does for a living, I don't know if it's her dream job or a stressful one, but I do know that she appreciates a moment alone once a day to be near nature, to sort through her own thoughts and/or escape them by reading someone else's.

I flashed her a smile as I drove away from the park today. I'm pretty sure she's aware of my regular appearance during her lunchtime too.

Anyway, I don't really know what this post was about. I guess it's my little way of thanking the many strangers who inspire me each day, since thanking them individually would most likely creep them out.

Jagged little pills

Lessons I've recently learned in the continuing evolution of myself:

- I really am a very independent person.
- Independence is a sneaky form of pride; like many virtues, too much of it becomes a vice.
- Independence is a very hard habit to kick when in vice-form.
- Dependence is even harder for me to forgive in others.
- I don't like being defaulted to for decision-making purposes, just because I'm not afraid make decisions.
- I sometimes hold people to impossibly high expectations.
- I shouldn't.
- I also shouldn't blog when I'm tired.

Apologies to anyone harmed in the making of this person.