Things that help me feel strong

     This week's reminders:

1. A laser-like focus on writing, on structure
2. A fridge stocked with food from sweet friends
3. Writing; making progress with the novel, especially when it comes easily
4. Watching A Room With A View in bed while M carves wine stoppers in the chair beside me
5. Helping other writers work out narrative and structure problems
6. Reading a story or passage or poem that leaves me breathless (Brodsky's "Stone Villages")
7. Not worrying about prepping the guest room for M's brother's visit this weekend
8. Getting dressed and walking to the cafe -- not that I've done that lately, but maybe today
9. Watching A recognize the irony, and the humor, in her own selfish response to that classic motherly lesson about children around the world having little to eat (A, whining: "My tummy hurts because I ate too much." Me: "We're lucky, yadayada." A: "Well, I'm not feeling lucky right now."  --> laughter)
10. M and A