Minkgirl Muses

The Gratitude Project

I turn 40 years old in 40 days. I've always been a sucker for symbolic numbers. And I'm feeling inspired by my friend B, who in the months before she turned 40 sent 40 letters of thanks to people who had influenced her life - I was lucky enough to receive one! I thought about repeating her project, but I've never been a great letter-writer. Something about extra steps of addressing the envelope and finding a stamp always seems to derail me.

Instead, I am going to attempt to write about 40 things/people/experiences/ideas/phenomena that I feel grateful for, and which I believe have significantly enriched my life. I hope the practice of gratitude will both honor the path I have traveled thus far and help me learn to make a habit out of being grateful. 39 has been a dark year for me. I am hoping the 40's will bring a more permanent turn toward the sun.

Day 1 - Words

I am grateful for words. For the gift of speech. For the printed word. For the amazing permutations, idiosyncrasies, and random beauties embedded in the collection of words known as the English language. I love, love, love words. I love talking (as anyone who knows me can attest.) I love listening, and the fact that through the act of speech, so much is revealed about the speaker. As a dramaturg and director, I have committed myself to manifesting stories based on words. To fully realizing the text. I have also spent many, many pleasant hours talking to my husband and to my friends about the world and the ways we are moving through it. I have recently realized that it is only through dialogue with others - through the act of speaking, listening, and responding - that I am able to fully understand what I think about a topic or situation. I have already made two theater pieces that used as their jumping off point the phrase: "In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d. Without the Word was not anything made that was made." And I imagine that I will continue to make future theater pieces based on this bit from the Bible, because I actually believe this is the truest expression of how our world came to be.

Labels: Gratitude Project