This may sound corny, apologies, but - as someone else with a newsletter they're hopeful of building up into something that could maybe do a bit of good in the world, I'm grateful of learning from your example, Sari. I'm learning a *lot*. You know what you're doing here.
But of course I'm British, so we don't do this gratefulness thing at this time of year. No, no. It's all an act. We're cold and aloof and consider gratitude a sign of weakness.
*affixes top hat firmly on head, twirls walking stick, marches out in a blur of privilege and tweed*
It’s been a year of significant loss (9 year relationship, 5 year job, and most of all, my BFF & Mom is rapidly losing herself to dementia) but I look at this time with gratitude, for resilience, and also with thankfulness, because losing something that mattered means there was love. And love is a gift, so I feel lucky. And I’m SO thankful to you, Sari, for shining a light on so many fascinating writers and creating this space to share from our hearts ❤️
Grateful for my grandboys, who keep me smiling even on tough days in this wearisome world. For my three adult children: their wisdom, encouragement, and passion. For my husband, who centers me. And particularly this year, for the five wonderful souls who agreed to beta-read my novel. Amazing.
I'm thankful that so many people, whose voices have been suppressed or ignored, are speaking out & being heard. Here & in the world every day. What a beautiful chorus!
Grateful that although I had Covid (in May) and my daughter had it last month, we are both fully recovered and gathering with close friends tonight for dinner.
Thankful for the one year book birthday of my memoir in essays Behind the Mask: Living Alone in the Epicenter. Came out in November, 2021, thanks to Heliotrope Books. Last week, I celebrated with a wonderful reading at Jefferson Market Library with two other Greenwich Village authors. Thankful I'm once again going to New Jersey for Thanksgiving dinner with my family.
I'm thankful for Oldster and its varied perspectives on aging, and for you, Sari, for publishing Writing for My Life (and for giving me another great title). And I'm thankful to the folks at Mad Creek/Ohio State University Press for giving my memoir a home.
I’m thankful my family and many of my friends are hale and hearty despite bouts with Covid. I’m grateful I was able to return this year to performing and enjoying music and theatre indoors. Seeing people gathering with significantly less fear has been wonderful, even intoxicating. I’m ever more grateful for and appreciative of acts of human kindness, large and small.
I’m thankful for that moment of conviction when I finally decided to write my memoir. In the process of writing it, I’m learning from writers like you and finding a community that fills me with joy and meaning. What a blessing.
I am thankful to be in therapy, again. I am thankful to being in a writing group, once again. I am thankful for an excellent 2.5 year run with the nicest boss. I am thankful for the new opportunities coming my way so I can continue to support my family, while working on my writing dreams.
I am grateful for my very life as I come closer to my one-year-anniversary heart attack date (Dec. 6). Thankful for my husband, who is a devoted family man and who thinks with the opposite side of his brain -- a great counterbalance for how I approach the world! Thankful for love and encouragement from my children and grandchildren. I am well aware of those who are estranged from the children they birthed. And so grateful to the women in my life. My friendships with other women are the salt and seasoning to my very existence!
Thankful for my family -- to be 58 years old and still have both parents in my life and for the rest of my family -- and my health. I am also so appreciative of having a chance to connect with you, Sari, through your work and in person too. It’s been so nice, after so many years, to find ways to connect not only digitally, but in real life too. Happy Thanksgiving!
A bit late to the party but... I find myself lately grateful for just about everything in this kind of raw way, like I'm missing a layer of skin. Life has been very kind to me lately, and though I know the wheel will turn again, I've been through enough in the last few years to appreciate it daily. My husband is 5-1/2 years out from a glioblastoma diagnosis (surgery, chemo, radiation), which puts him among the 4%—they tell you 14-18 months, and it was a long time living under that shadow, but I feel like he is (and therefore we are) opening up and letting the life back in again in the last few years.
Adding to that my excellent son who's seeing a lot of his own dreams come true this year, a houseful of good kitties. the comfortable and big-enough house itself, my own steady good health, a job that engages and matters to me, some fun side hustles, engaging online connections like this, and oh my friends, my wonderful friends who have enlarged the boundaries of my life and inspired me and keep me from ever feeling alone in the world. Things won't be like this forever, maybe not even for long, but I'm dazzled by it all right now.
I am thankful that at the age of 76 I feel more excited as a writer than ever before! I want to write half a dozen personal essays, a short story, and a new novel. Also thankful that my latest novel, Cybill Unbound, about the sexual adventures of an older woman will be published on February 14, 2023 by Heliotrope Books.
This may sound corny, apologies, but - as someone else with a newsletter they're hopeful of building up into something that could maybe do a bit of good in the world, I'm grateful of learning from your example, Sari. I'm learning a *lot*. You know what you're doing here.
But of course I'm British, so we don't do this gratefulness thing at this time of year. No, no. It's all an act. We're cold and aloof and consider gratitude a sign of weakness.
*affixes top hat firmly on head, twirls walking stick, marches out in a blur of privilege and tweed*
It’s been a year of significant loss (9 year relationship, 5 year job, and most of all, my BFF & Mom is rapidly losing herself to dementia) but I look at this time with gratitude, for resilience, and also with thankfulness, because losing something that mattered means there was love. And love is a gift, so I feel lucky. And I’m SO thankful to you, Sari, for shining a light on so many fascinating writers and creating this space to share from our hearts ❤️
Grateful for my grandboys, who keep me smiling even on tough days in this wearisome world. For my three adult children: their wisdom, encouragement, and passion. For my husband, who centers me. And particularly this year, for the five wonderful souls who agreed to beta-read my novel. Amazing.
I am grateful for my life. Ever day above ground is a good day .
I'm thankful my cancer operation was a success. I was spared this time for a reason.
So ...slán libh (goodbye in Gaelic ) from #dinglepeninsula West of Ireland.
Sarah Varian Barry
I'm thankful that so many people, whose voices have been suppressed or ignored, are speaking out & being heard. Here & in the world every day. What a beautiful chorus!
Grateful that although I had Covid (in May) and my daughter had it last month, we are both fully recovered and gathering with close friends tonight for dinner.
Thankful for the one year book birthday of my memoir in essays Behind the Mask: Living Alone in the Epicenter. Came out in November, 2021, thanks to Heliotrope Books. Last week, I celebrated with a wonderful reading at Jefferson Market Library with two other Greenwich Village authors. Thankful I'm once again going to New Jersey for Thanksgiving dinner with my family.
I'm thankful for Oldster and its varied perspectives on aging, and for you, Sari, for publishing Writing for My Life (and for giving me another great title). And I'm thankful to the folks at Mad Creek/Ohio State University Press for giving my memoir a home.
I’m thankful my family and many of my friends are hale and hearty despite bouts with Covid. I’m grateful I was able to return this year to performing and enjoying music and theatre indoors. Seeing people gathering with significantly less fear has been wonderful, even intoxicating. I’m ever more grateful for and appreciative of acts of human kindness, large and small.
I’m thankful for that moment of conviction when I finally decided to write my memoir. In the process of writing it, I’m learning from writers like you and finding a community that fills me with joy and meaning. What a blessing.
I am thankful to be in therapy, again. I am thankful to being in a writing group, once again. I am thankful for an excellent 2.5 year run with the nicest boss. I am thankful for the new opportunities coming my way so I can continue to support my family, while working on my writing dreams.
I am grateful for my very life as I come closer to my one-year-anniversary heart attack date (Dec. 6). Thankful for my husband, who is a devoted family man and who thinks with the opposite side of his brain -- a great counterbalance for how I approach the world! Thankful for love and encouragement from my children and grandchildren. I am well aware of those who are estranged from the children they birthed. And so grateful to the women in my life. My friendships with other women are the salt and seasoning to my very existence!
I’m thankful for Oldster—often the only thing I want to read in my morning emails!
Thankful for my family -- to be 58 years old and still have both parents in my life and for the rest of my family -- and my health. I am also so appreciative of having a chance to connect with you, Sari, through your work and in person too. It’s been so nice, after so many years, to find ways to connect not only digitally, but in real life too. Happy Thanksgiving!
A bit late to the party but... I find myself lately grateful for just about everything in this kind of raw way, like I'm missing a layer of skin. Life has been very kind to me lately, and though I know the wheel will turn again, I've been through enough in the last few years to appreciate it daily. My husband is 5-1/2 years out from a glioblastoma diagnosis (surgery, chemo, radiation), which puts him among the 4%—they tell you 14-18 months, and it was a long time living under that shadow, but I feel like he is (and therefore we are) opening up and letting the life back in again in the last few years.
Adding to that my excellent son who's seeing a lot of his own dreams come true this year, a houseful of good kitties. the comfortable and big-enough house itself, my own steady good health, a job that engages and matters to me, some fun side hustles, engaging online connections like this, and oh my friends, my wonderful friends who have enlarged the boundaries of my life and inspired me and keep me from ever feeling alone in the world. Things won't be like this forever, maybe not even for long, but I'm dazzled by it all right now.
I am thankful that at the age of 76 I feel more excited as a writer than ever before! I want to write half a dozen personal essays, a short story, and a new novel. Also thankful that my latest novel, Cybill Unbound, about the sexual adventures of an older woman will be published on February 14, 2023 by Heliotrope Books.