A Picture of Thankfulness
Yesterday I met with a group of women whose only real commonality is that we are a group of believers. We were in the home of my former neighbor who has been a surrogate grandparent to my children and she knows me well. Across the table was a woman who I workout with 5 days a week and I call her my Nebraska mom. To my left, my dear sweet (and first fremont) friend and next to her my friend the banker who helped me make some early (and hard) decisions for which I am forever grateful. But also scattered around a table were practical strangers. I don’t know all of their names and I do not know their stories.
At the conclusion of our meeting, the hostess asked if we might stay a bit longer and share one thing we are thankful for this season. Unfiltered (shocking, I know), I blurted out.
“Well, I’ve got lots!”
I gave a not-so-brief explanation of the past two years and then, trying to wrap it up and bring it all together, I blurt agin (and again, in front of friends but also strangers)—
“Divorce! I’m thankful for divorce!”
Good grief.
The table of thanksgiving continued.
Friends.
Family.
Faith.
Health.
Good grief.
Yes. Divorce and those too.
I then asked for another turn. Like a re-do. Something to recover and redeem and ya know, just an opportunity to say something a little bit more—more—
Uhm.
Yes. More appropriate.
And I did. Or at least I tried.
But somedays there are no words. (Well, not so much that they’re aren’t words. I’m pretty sure my friends will attest that I can always come up with at least a few,) but maybe there aren’t enough words.
Or the right words.
Maybe silence would’ve been better.
Or a picture.
Better, still.
Maybe some days a picture captured by a very talented photographer says more about my gratitude; more about my thankfulness; more about my life than mere words ever could.
Maybe today is that day.
Happy Thanksgiving, Y’all!
*picture of gratitude by Courtney Fitzgerald Photography
Raising Magnolias 