Blondies, Gratitude and Gifts

This weekend brought my Mom's annual Halloween party complete with grownups in masks and witches hats, wild children in the haunted treehouse and screeching on the trampoline, along with way too much good food. I put a little extra effort in and edited some BH&G invitations and food labels, decorated my glass iced tea decanter with stick-on gems and a 3D skull sticker, and baked blondies and crumb cake muffins. Enjoyed making things nice and pretending for a few hours that I was Martha Stewart.

Good to see everyone too, although I really prefer a small dinner with a few friends and a chance to dig a little deeper. I'm not so great at small talk. Find myself sitting back and smiling, listening to everyone else but not really contributing too much. Some people are so good at it, telling funny stories, drawing others in, making everyone feel like a light is shining on them. I sat next to a pilot last week on Southwest and he was one of those people. He had the eighty-five year old lady on his left laughing and flirting for much of the flight and managed to chat and joke with me, on his right, as well. All while doing crossword puzzles and sudoko and texting his wife. It's a gift, that ability to connect with strangers. I wish it were something you could learn, but I don't believe it is.

The key, I think, is to appreciate our own good points and reframe it. Maybe I'm not so great at small talk, but I am very good at real conversations with someone who is close to me. You can tell me anything and I'll listen deep and true...I don't shy away from the difficult things. We each have our small gifts.

Sunday night. A good weekend behind us. Monday beckons.

But, first, a little Homeland with Ron. A little bath time for Chloe. Lunches to pack. Faces to wash. An old, loved, dog to hug.

A few moments to sit and write, and think, and be grateful, again, for the small things.

What are you grateful for this Sunday? What are your gifts?