Angels in Snow Boots.

On Monday,

I got off the bus

with a 37-pound suitcase.

I had flown into Utah that morning.

When I left Utah,

things were fine,

but when I came back,

the world was a snowy, slushy mess.

I had four blocks to go

with a 37-pound suitcase,

and even taking little baby steps,

I was sliding and struggling.

A nice couple in snow boots

saw me.

The husband said,

"Can we walk with you

to your house?

I'll carry your suitcase.

I used to be a bellman."

I let them help me.

We chatted.

The wife had been to Delaware

a few times.

Days later,

I keep thinking about it.

I can't stop.

I can't imagine

how long it would have taken me

to walk that four blocks

with that suitcase.

I would have been in tears

by the time I got home.

For some reason,

that little thing

made me feel grateful

in a way I never have before.

Whenever I think about it,

I have to stop,

because I don't know

how to express my gratitude.

I don't know who they are,

but they keep crossing my mind.

I think little prayers for them

whenever they do.

.

.

.

Unfortunately,

my being a hot mess

has only continued

since Monday.

Yesterday I took 3 wrong turns

in a single drive.

I got locked out of my house

and Brooke let me sleep at her house

and then Paloma came and saved me.

I'm so grateful,

I can't think about it.

.

.

.

I've been thinking about this year a lot.

It was so good.

It was so good

that I don't even remember

the bad parts.

The bad parts

are the good parts.

Last New Year's Eve was funny.

I remember what I wore,

of course,

who I was with,

what we did,

and how I felt about it.

It's harder to remember

who I was.

I hadn't learned

so many of the things

that I now hold dear.

I didn't love

so many of the people

and things

that I love now.

I hadn't seen

so many beautiful places.

There were so many songs

that weren't yet dear to me.

So many sunny mornings

I hadn't yet woken up to.

So many pains

I had never yet felt.

When I think about this year,

I feel grateful

like I did

for those angels in snow boots.

One of 2014's sunny mornings,

long before the world became

a slushy mess.