This hasn’t been a good year. The hardest part was the death of my husband. I still mourn that. Then, when I was nomnated for a top honor for THE WELCOME COMMITTEE OF BUTTERNUT CREEK and planned to go to the conference in Atlanta to attend the conference and award ceremony, I had a detached retina which meant I couldn’t fly until three days after that ceremony. A disappointment.
But, in the midst of these months, there were many, many blessings. Let me count them for you.
1) I got to spend forty-seven years with the finest, sexiest, most intelligent and delightful man in the world. Not every second was marvelous but the whole experience changed me and made me a better, happier, more self-confident person.
2) My friends have been so wonderful. Church friends, writing friends, long-time friends have written me and supported me, come by when I was hysterical, held my hand, called and sent me flowers. I have been so very blessed by all of them.
3) George’s family and best friend dropped everything and came to Texas. They took care of me, stayed with George, and I will always remember their love and concern and how much their presence meant to George.
4) I was nominated for a RITA, something I thought would never, never happen. My career has not be a long series of successes. In twelve years, ten of my books have been published. My friend Tracy Wolff writes that many in a week–every one of them great. Exactly three weeks after George’s funeral, I received the call my book was nominated. I didn’t even realize that was the day RITA calls were being made. I didn’t answer the first call because I screen calls and didn’t recognize the number. I only answered the second call to ask this person not to bother me again. But the fact remains: I was nominated for a RITA. That overwhelmed me and continues to.
5) I have enough to eat, a nice apartment, a car that runs, and two darling cats that keep my company. Those facts put me in a small percentage of the world’s population. Although this feels like a blessing, I’m haunted by those who go to bed hungry, who live in a box or hovel, who have no health care or or future.
6) For a person my age, I’m fairly healthy. I try to swim four or five times a week in a pool only steps from my apartment. I know lots of specialists who watch over my health and keep me running.
7) And my CARDS won the NCAA basketball championship!
And I know there are more but these are at the top of my list. Many thanks to all of you who’ve been parts of those blessings.
