Happy Thursday and the last Thursday in May! It’s hard to believe that we’re done the first five months of 2020 and 2020 has been a doozy so far!
First off, I’m thankful for the kindness that this doozy of a year has produced so far. On Sunday, as I started on my walk I heard a tiny voice call out, “hi Jessica!” It was Paige, the youngest girl that lives behind me. I said, “Hi, Paige! How are you?” “I turned five yesterday!” I asked her if she had a party and she had so much fun telling me about her birthday party. The joy was just so pure. I then chatted with Meg, her mother, for a good ten minutes. It was so nice and it has been so nice to connect with neighbours.
On Memorial Day, as I was ending my walk, I saw an elderly gentleman sitting on his porch. I said, “Happy Memorial Day!” and we started a ten minute conversation about the upcoming summer, changes at the beach and we both laughed at the thought of a nice staycation in the back yard. I think he was happy to have someone to talk to. I’m glad I brightened his day and he brightened mine as well.
I’m going to write about these experiences for a new Happiness Box Initiative newsletter.
This week I feel thankful for family and I’m savouring this time with them. I enjoy eating lunch with dad and the Boy. It’s nice working from home and it’s nice being able to have lunch with dad. I’m also savouring Zoom time with friends. I finally sat in one of the Jewish Improv groups. My headphones didn’t work, so Rachel said she will send me a pair. I’m grateful for that too. I’m thankful for Marsha, Claire, Christina, Jared, Anna, Joe, and my family.
I went through some old SD cards because I wanted to see what pictures we have of my grandparents. I found some of Pop-Pop, some of his old dog, Nemo, his old cat, Cat Wat, I found some of Nan, then trips we took when I was a teenager. Some from Christa’s baby shower in 2006, some of our old cat, Woo. Then I found photos from when we first adopted Olivia and Mimi in 2008. Then a few of me and my second ex, from 2009. Nothing with the first ex. Sadly, I deleted most of those photos because I was heart broken. The second one was rebound, but I dated them before I figured out my asexuality. Yet, we kept 6 photos. I’m going to share some of them with you.
Also, I’m thankful for all the love that was given to me on Wraith’s first Inkday. Between Reddit and this blog, I want to thank you all! My ink is special to me and I’m in love with Wraith. My first is my special. I’m thinking of getting flowers done to accentuate tattoo #2. Christina thinks that would be really pretty. I think so too.
I also got word that my library manager is in hospice. I’m going to send a card, and hold her up in my prayers. Please say a prayer for her and her family. Thank you.
What are you thankful for today?
The Happiness Box Project 
Hi, Jessica Marie!
Happy Thankful Thursday, dear friend! You seem in good spirits this week. I’m glad. It was a gift of a moment when little Paige, your neighbor girl, called out to you and told you about her birthday party. I live for special moments like that. In fact, I once had a little Latina neighbor girl that was so cute, and she and her family became friends of mine. We often stood on the lawn separating our apartment units and chatted at length. One Halloween they brought the little girl to my door for trick-or-treat. I didn’t have any candy so I gave her a dollar. She was so excited she kept shouting to her mother, “He gave me a dollar!” I’ll never forget dear little Stephanie and often wonder what became of her in the 21 years that have passed since she was my neighbor. Getting back to your story, it was nice of Paige’s mom Meg to engage you in friendly conversation as well. Same with the elderly man you encountered. By stopping for a friendly chat with him you made his day and her brightened yours.
You are making the most of this quarantine down time by bonding with your folks, participating in Zoom sessions, nurturing old friendships and cultivating new ones. I know it can be painful to look at old pictures of family members and beloved pets that are no longer alive, to be reminded of relationships that ran their course and of the teenager you once were, and now a mature woman taking charge of her life. I’m happy to know that you got lots of lubbins for your Wraith’s inkday. I am sorry to learn that your library manager is in hospice. I offer prayers.
I am thankful that we are getting daily rains down here to help grow our veggie and flower gardens. We hope to attract bees to our property, perhaps even the rare blue bees that we recently read about that reside in a neighboring county.
Happy TT once again, dear friend JM!
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