My little blog started in the summer of 2014 has grown to nearly 5,000 hits a month. Thanks, all 5,000 a month of you. Thanks for reading my lucid observations and enduring my faulty reasoning; thanks for your comments and messages of encouragement—these mean everything. Special thanks to those who have reached out privately, sharing your pain and seeking affirmation.

Thanks even to critics, those who have called me a “limousine liberal” (I had to look that one up), who have called my writing flowery (yikes) and who told me to “move on already.” My first posts were just that, processing to move on. And here I am . . .

After some insightful feedback from my beta readers Kerry and Rebekah, I am rewriting my memoir, “a girl’s search for self-determination spanning Arizona, Russia and a contemplative convent in the South Bronx.” I’m also compiling excerpts from this blog into a book on surviving narcissistic abuse.

A PayPal button has been added in the right margin for those who believe in supporting writers, or who benefit from my work and would like to contribute to the cost of running this blog, coffee, printer ink and Advil.

Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. . . Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.

2016 was universally difficult and privately trying. One year after moving us here, my husband was laid off with 2 weeks severance. My day job petered out with a gasp and a wheeze, my son came home from college again, our charming used Volvos bled us dry financially until 2 of 3 of them finally gave up the ghost. We bought a 4th to replace the 3rd and it died, too. Fa la la la la ….

On the bright side, at least for the pigs, our vegan daughter persuaded us to stop eating pork. We joined AirBnB which has introduced us to the warmest, loveliest guests. When the beagle disappears into the forest, we have so far been able to find her, and God has continued to raise up friends among strangers. (Too flowery?)

Our current political climate is tempting all of us to fear, but this present moment has its unshakable peace.

May your body work marvelously, your eyes see the beautiful sky and may your loved ones be within earshot. I will be praying for you to that end.

Happy New Year!