…for one thing, which encompasses so many other things that it's hard to continue calling it just one thing: that, over the course of this year, I walked to the lip of an abyss, faced it, and came away alive, human, and still capable of reaching out to the people who cared about me.

So many things - that I got to have time with Dad before he died. Jeff - for making it bearable. For Jeremy, Suzan, and Colter, who among all my friends stand so high in my memory for being so much and giving so much when I had so little to give in return.

For the cat-feeders, and the voices on the end of the phone during all hours of the night. For those of you in different time zones or on different sleep schedules, who were around to see me during the ugliest parts of the healing process.

For my friends for understanding, not asking questions when they probably wanted to, and trusting that one of these days I'll wake up again and be me again...

For the fact when I walked from my sister's house to my mother's last night, I stood between the houses and looked at the stars, so easily visible due to the lack of city light anywhere nearby. They were still there, just as they've always been, and for yet another night in my life, there was Orion, pointing me home.

Here's to a year that hurt, a year that took someone I loved away from me, but in the process reminded me of just how inexpressibly special you all are to me. You know your names. I post your pictures (sometimes whether you like the photo or not).

You let me be a part of your lives, for which I am the most thankful of all.