Friday Fragments: Nuggets of Joy in a Tough Week

This has been a difficult week:  a plumbing fix that required a plumber (but it could have been more disastrous), my spouse's hard drive crash, a friend in the hospital, the official news that my spouse didn't get his dream job or even an invitation to interview, along with generalized and specific work unpleasantness.  But let me think about some of the moments of beauty and joy:

--Out of the blue, my spouse said something along the lines of, "We should talk about getting you to seminary."  Or did he ask if this was the time?  Regardless, it cheered me the whole day, this idea that we might actually prioritize my dreams/needs/hopes--or even discuss them. I feel like the needs of the house have been usurping everything else.

--My friend in the hospital was able to avoid surgery for her intestinal blockage, and she got to go home sooner rather than later.

--One of my former students just successfully defended her dissertation.  She was in my 19th century British literature classes at FAU--I loved teaching those classes which were classes for English majors.

--My spouse and I had a fun, spontaneous going out to dinner experience.

--I virtually attended the first meeting of a spiritual/contemplative journaling group sponsored by Mepkin Abbey.  It looks promising.

--I had several get togethers with friends; it's good to remember that I have friends.

--In the middle of the most unpleasant work day this week, I went over to the library at the South campus of Broward College.  What a beautiful library!  There are times when the wealth of books overwhelms me, and I wonder why I bother to write at all.  Wednesday I had a different feeling:  how lucky I am to have all these resources available to me!  I checked out an armload of books and returned to work feeling much calmer.

--We have had gentle rains rumble through each day--that means that my petunias are much happier.

--I have been sleeping a bit better this week.  I could always use a bit more sleep, but at least I'm not as sleep deprived as last week.

--My article for Gather magazine was published in the June edition--hurrah!

I have been surprised at how hard it was to compile this list--which might be indicative of how important it was to write it out.