I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.
Day 24: Intention I wrote two emails today with intention. They were messages I might have just dashed off not that long ago, and I'm grateful that retirement has given me the time to be more kind. The first was to my oldest friend. My frustrating, troubled, ineffable oldest friend. The second was to my newest friend, Christine from movie group, who has been asking me to visit her home in some faraway burb.
As far as #1 goes, she's going to continue to make bad decisions and I can't change her, so I didn't try. I just made a couple jokes, attached a photo of Baby Violet, and reminded my friend that, when she finally gets her insurance situation ironed out,* I will be happy to pay for her first two months of therapy.
For #2, I know it's hard for people our age to make new friends and appreciate it takes optimism and courage to reach out like Christine has. She began inviting me before Christmas and I've been putting her off, which is insensitive of me. She finally quit asking and it occurred to me I may have hurt her feelings. So I asked her – would she mind if, when the mercury hits 95ยบ or higher as it inevitably will, I could spend the day with her and take advantage of her air conditioning and her DVD collection and play with her dog in cool comfort. She answered – SNAP! – immediately.
As I'm writing this, I think of that Brownie song: Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.
*It's been at least three months. A paperwork snafu with Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program.
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