To all of you Happy New Year

In France, it’s rare to be sent a Christmas card by a French person. That is done by ex-Pats. The French send New Year’s cards. And they give themselves the month of January to do so. The holidays are past, presents bought and opened, family has come and gone, and the month of January, on paper, is stress-free to send out family news and best wishes for the New Year. If one has a service person that has worked hard for you, the Gardien of your building for example, most people include money to say Thank You.

This year I’m doing both. I’m in the US (California) so it seems right to send Christmas cards and there is nothing more fun than to open up a digital card from jacquielawson.com with dogs romping, cats playing the piano, flowers growing before your eyes - all to lovely music. The only sadness is that I’m so used to opening up real cards that you hold in your hand, and then put on the fireplace mantle and side tables until all you see are lovely Holiday wishes everywhere you look. I did receive enough of those to make my mantle look quite festive.

Then starting tomorrow, I’ll put some thoughts together to send to friends. Uppermost in my mind will be how to find some sort of contentment in this crazy world of ours. Over the years, I’ve been taught to write gratitude lists. I grew up seeing the glass half empty. I was always down and disappointed. People who care about me, want the best for me, have told me to practice being grateful. Not for the huge things in life, but the little things: a wonderful cup of coffee in the morning, a sunny day when one can take a long walk, a phone call from my sister who, beyond all understanding, wants as I do, a relationship—well that is a big thing but it does go on my gratitude list fairly often. I am grateful for so many things but most of all for the fact, that I am aware that I have many things that one can’t just take for granted. When I feel down, it’s so helpful to remember those things. And to remember that all feelings pass.

So tomorrow that’s one I’m going to do—write down the things I’m grateful for that happened in 2023. Though many of us feel that 2023 was a very difficult year, it’s mostly looking at the world and the amount of hatred, killing, nastiness flying all around us. To try and find some stability, some personal contentment when we all care so much, is quite a feat, a skill really. A skill that starts with feeling grateful.

In both the US and in France, it’s the Red, White, and Blue

So on this New Year’s Eve, I want you all to know how grateful I am that you readers consistently read this blog/newsletter/substack (I no longer know what to call it), that you take the time to give me feedback, and that you cheer on my writing successes.

I wish you all a way to find personal peace in 2024 and that we continue to meet on the page and that words continue to go back and forth between us.

Thank you,

Sara