Lucky. It’s What I Am
I am lucky. And I am grateful for how lucky I am every single day. I have an amazing husband who always has my back. I live in a beautiful home and have delicious food in the fridge (cooked by the amazing husband.) At this moment I have a fire raging in the fireplace, and two warm dogs dozing at my feet. I have family and friends I can call at a moment’s notice if I need anything—and they are there for me.
Christmas always reminds me of exactly how lucky I am. Every year I am showered with gifts by my husband, my in laws, my family and my friends. I hang all the Christmas cards we’ve received on the doorway that goes from our kitchen into our dining room. There are so many that I hang them on the wall facing the kitchen, on the inside of the doorway, even the top of the doorway, and then the other side that faces the dining room. I sent out 80 some odd cards this year, as I have a large extended family that rivals the one on My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
The outpouring of support I’ve gotten from the people in my life when it comes to my writing career has been amazing. This Christmas was no exception. My sister in law Emily and her husband Shawn got me a lovely pen that I fully intend to use at any signings. In fact, I’ve already signed a few books this weekend with it.
They put my name on it.
And the title of my book.
Then as Todd and I drove home from Vermont (where his family lives) we stopped in at Yankee Candle in Deerfield, MA. I like to stop there and hit the clearance room, as I love to burn Yankee Candles in our house. (Right now there’s a Tahitian flower one burning in the kitchen, and it’s making my house smell like a spa.)
“I’ll be in and out in no time. I am just going to hit the clearance room,” I said when we pulled in.
“It’s OK, I’ll hang here,” he was watching NCIS on his tablet as we were driving on 91 south.
I went in and hit the sale room and bought 4 jar candles. The Christmas ones were already on clearance, even though it was only December 26th. I skipped the ones that smell like Christmas food items, because of that time my friend bought me a lemon cake one. All I wanted to eat was lemon cake until that candle burned down. And all I did was eat lemon cake all that time. So I skipped the sugar cookie scents and the chocolate peppermint scents. I got a berry one, one called “snowflake” which is weird because what do they even smell like? (Apparently Bounce dryer sheets and peppermint.) I stopped and bought some loose leaf tea, because I am a sucker for anything mojito flavored, and that watermelon basil one smelled interesting. (I am drinking it now, and it IS everything I hoped it would be.)
I paid and made my way back out to our truck. It was empty. Todd was gone. His phone was in the cup holder. Hmm.
I went back inside. The Yankee Candle store (the original one in Deerfield, MA) is enormous, with multiple rooms. If I walked the whole thing for hours I’d never find him. Because if he was walking too, we may never intersect; this place is that insane. I stood and waited by the entrance, which is near a restroom, assuming that’s where he went. Finally I saw him saunter my way, hands behind his back.
“What did you get?” I asked.
“A surprise. I have to go pay for it,” he nodded toward the cash registers behind me.
“OK, I’ll pull the truck up, and meet you outside.”
As I was driving up to the curb he was walking out with a small bag. Small things come in good packages, eh?
He got in and said “Close your eyes.”
“Wait, let me pull the truck closer to the curb. We are in the middle of the road here. I can’t do that with my eyes closed.”
Eventually I closed them, and he put an object in the palm of my hand.
When I opened my eyes. I saw this:
And with that, I am lucky. It’s who I am.
BJ Knapp is the author of Beside the Music, available for purchase here. Please sign up for the Backstage with BJ Knapp mailing list to get updates on events, signings, dog pictures and so much more.
added on 12.28.15