GOOD FRIDAY GRATITUDE

For those in the Christian community today is Good Friday, the day in which we commemorate our Lord’s passion and death. It’s a solemn feast, yet, also a cause for gratitude. Gratitude, not just because of what our Lord has done for us, but for the freedom we have to believe (or not) in Christ, freedom to live as humanity, and the freedom of being an American, a privilege I’m certain we all take for granted more than we even realize.

This week, I again begin my gratitude blog by saying how thankful I am for the people in my life. I’m thankful for a new friend who has come into my life this week. I believe that Trevor and I are going to enjoy a good friendship. Meeting him has been one of the highlights of this week for me. I’m also grateful for those faithful friends I have who surround me each and every day, be they near or far. I do not know how I would have made it without the frequent calls from Fritz these last few weeks to check on me; the non-judgmental friendship I have with Truvy, who can read me like a book and make me talk even when I don’t want to; for G, who took some getting used to, but whose constant affirmations are beyond words; for Brandee, who, though far away, has been through very similar situations in her life, and is there to encourage me as I reach the bottom of the well to crawl back to the top again; for Lee and Jane with whom I enjoy a weekly conversation and for the ways they just “get me”, and for the package they sent me today, a mish-mash of goodies, that somehow, remarkably, in a way that only Lee can do, go together. Lastly, but certainly not least, I am grateful for Parker and the wonderful ways we have transformed our relationship from a couple to a friendship, for his being there when I need him, to listen, to encourage, to dry a tear or two if need be. He doesn’t read my blog, but I am grateful for him nonetheless.

I’m grateful for my musical abilities. Though they are far from perfect, I have been given wonderful gifts to use to touch other people’s lives. Holy Week has seemingly been a non-stop musical event, with rehearsals almost every night and Masses to play for Thursday-Sunday. Yet, I’m not complaining. I’m grateful for the opportunities I have been given, I’m grateful for the encouragement my church community gives me and I’m grateful that my prayers were finally answered and I was able to work in the church like I’ve always wanted. I’m grateful for the growth I’ve experienced musically over these last couple of years.

Here’s my confession: At times this week, I’ve had to remind myself to be grateful. I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions and tried to hold some of them in, keep them from showing to friends, but you can’t hide things from your true friends. Again, it’s often easier to take things for granted, to just breeze through life without pausing to reflect on the things in our lives, or if we do, it’s easier to dwell on the negative than the positive. I’m at a time of great change in my life. It’s frightening beyond words at times, it’s lonely at times, and it seems damn near impossible at others, but through it all, I’m grateful that I still have the will power to keep going, that each new tomorrow brings with it more opportunities to grow, to learn, to be. None of us know how many tomorrows we have left, so we must make the most of the present, be grateful for the gift and share our gratitude with others, even on days we feel like throwing up our arms and giving up