Holiday blessings

I know, I know, I was supposed to do a "what I'm thankful for" post last month for Thanksgiving. Yeah, well, sue me for being late. Actually, I'm usually more introspective around this time of year anyway.

My feelings of appreciation rose significantly earlier this week as I received a few Christmas cards, locally from Firecracker (whose friendship enriches my life daily), and long-distance from a former colleague in Tennessee who will be married later this spring and another former colleague who lives in Germany with his wife.

I've already sent Christmas cards (screw p.c. -ness!) to my overseas friends in the U.K., Australia, Vienna and others in Germany. There's one more addressee to locate in Spain and another in Germany and all the international cards will be done.

And tonight I'm having dinner (and probably lots of tequila) with two wonderful Mexican women whom I am lucky enough to call friends.

I've learned so much from all of my non-American friends. I think I've learned to see things in a light that differs from the one I used in my white-bread suburban American upbringing. To say this is a good thing is to minimize the impact of these friendships.

Hope Santa is good to all of my friends!!

Feliz Navidad! Bonne Annee! Frohe Weihnachten!