I must admit that I entered this day with some dread. But I am ending it in gratitude.
An old friend called from a beach on Lanai where he’s an ER doc. He’s been working for the past nine days straight but had just gotten out of the water after snorkeling. “Knock wood,” he said, “things are pretty quiet.”
This morning, my phone was awake before I was, receiving a couple of texts from the East Coast. This afternoon, I got together, thanks to Zoom, with two women I’ve been friends with, though not consistently in touch with, for 35 years. In between, I reached out, making calls and sending texts. I talked to my first boss in television and my 100-year-old friend who escaped from Nazi Germany when she was in her teens. My oldest friend wrote yesterday’s post and another friend told me I could add dried cherries to the loaf of banana bread I plan to make when I finish writing.
You are reading this, whoever and wherever you are, so I am, virtually at least, able to leave my bubble of one.
I was going to say that the banana bread is my Thanksgiving treat but the real treat is the profound gratitude I am feeling for my friends, old and new, some of whom I’ve never met in person, and the awareness of how connected we are. I am so grateful for whatever angel whispered in my ear and told me to start this blog, way back in March.
I am thankful for all of you who read it and for those of you who share your thoughts and hearts.
Thank you for reading, thank you for commenting, thank you for writing. I am grateful every day for the community we continue to create together.

So very beautiful. Thanks for writing!
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Beautiful!
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Thank you, Ruth, for all you give to all of us. I am very grateful for you and this community of lovely people.
Wishing you and everyone here a peaceful, restful holiday weekend.
Love and best regards,
Marilyn
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And, by the way, I am grateful for you.
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Ahh! The secret of life! You spread kindness and it returns tenfold. Bless you for all you give.
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It has been a bright spot in, on many days, the worst year ever. This is a time when the internet has done a wonderful thing by allowing us to stay in touch with old friends and giving us chances to make new ones. It has been a pleasure to get to “meet” you, Ruth! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Dear One…it gives me special joy to read the warmth and connection you experienced yesterday in “celebrating” Thanksgiving! I hope you can hold onto those feelings as some of the more difficult days we will have to contend with occur. So many of us out here appreciate and care about you, Ruth!
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Being able to be alone for Thanksgiving is a great challenge! I lived in Hawaii and spent Thanksgiving Day in a Restaurant I want you to know it was the worst thing I could ever do, this year I made all my favorite foods and took them over to my neighbors, I had a deep spirit of love and sharing my wonderful cooking and spent the evening with my partner, it was the best of a day I had wished had been erased from the calendar in 2020!
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