Gratitude

I don't know if I say this often enough, but I should -- thank you.

Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for saying nice things to me. Thank you for supporting me in my difficult, unusual journey. Without you, I'd be lost in the woods, scared and lonely.

You may not realize how important your presence in my life. Do you remember being a little girl when, scared and alone, someone offered you their hand? That simple gesture can change one's whole outlook. The world turns into a nicer place; fear disappears and confidence is instilled. You guys do that for me.

Due largely to your support, I've grown more as a person in the last five years than I had in the previous forty. I'm reaping the benefits of that growth with greater and more frequent happiness. Being able to pursue fun activities, like dressing up as a mermaid, is profoundly joyful for me. You make that possible.

Years from now, when you look back on your life and tally up all the good things you did to change the world in a positive way, you should be proud of having helped someone who needed assistance at a critical moment. That's laudable and you deserve appreciation. You have mine.