With Sincerest Gratitude

I am an introvert. By and large I’m disgusted with a good lot of what’s out there, passing as “humanity.” But in between the narcissists and sociopaths I’ve encountered, I’ve also been incredibly LUCKY to have the opportunity to cultivate friendships (and some friendly acquaintances) with some stellar people, some “Twinkies” and some “Dairy Product.”

I’ve lumped friends into two categories:

Twinkies: They are there for you, ready and waiting for you whenever you need them. Old Faithful. They will always be there for you, ready, right on thru until/after the Zombie Apocalypse Hits.

Dairy Product: They are there for you, but for a short while, kind of like a gallon of milk. You’re lucky if you get about a week before the gallon goes bad. But in the interim, they sustain you.

Ideally, you need a mix of both, Twinkies and milk, to have an ideal snack… and an ideal mix of friends.

So to you, my Twinkies (and my milk), consider this as personal of a thank you as one can issue forth on a blog post, shared on a social networking site.

Thank you for understanding (or wanting to understand) me.
Thank you for giving me the space to vent and articulate.
Thank you for your humor, your support & caring.
Thank you for not (outwardly) judging me, harshly or negatively.
(And for those who are no longer friends, thank you, as whatever was the cause of us falling out and no longer cultivating our friendship, was an opportunity for personal growth, a character building exercise--and I wish you nothing but peace.)
Thank you for giving me the outlet and opportunity to GET OUT THERE, OUT IN THE WORLD, and do things or simply just BE.
Thank you for playing a part in my journey.
Thank you for late night conversations.

Thank you for visiting my mom (recently) and for all the support you gave me in my father's final illness and passing.
Thank you for going to the doctor with me, and or hanging out in NYC after appointments.
Thank you for your out of the blue, totally not necessary, package you’ve ever sent me.
Thank you for meeting me in your home city when I’m around, or coming to my home.
Thank you for loving me and my quirks.
Thank you for your friendship, as it TRULY IS the only thing that keeps me from losing all hope in humanity.
Thank you for thinking I am strong, because at times, I don’t necessarily feel so damned strong.
Thank you for being YOU. That is sufficient.

I know folks are wrapped up in their own lives, and life today is so fast and chaotic. We don’t always take the time to acknowledge the things that truly matter. I just want you to know, that in this very moment, I am thinking of you, and my wish for you is may you be as happy for as long as humanly possible.