The darkness broke, the sun came out, the brook was blue, the ice was blue, my shoes were blue, and I was happy again in the woods. I decided to walk in the cold, cold with Charlie, and not to swim, but to be in the cathedral spending time with the ice formations. And I crossed the trestle bridge and saw the ornaments of milkweed there, but Charlie barked and barked, unwilling to cross the bridge today. So I went back and he was relieved and we went on a different satisfying way. Such a relief, to be my cheerful self and to not feel that I had to talk myself into being cheerful. I got to my desk and got busy and had a long and wonderful chat with Jen, the founder of the Journal of Expressive Writing that I collaborate with, and we planned a showcase for my current monologue play lab participants that the Journal will host online in January. I had the energy for errands and felt happy in the post office mailing a donation of 9 bottles of lice shampoo to Ukraine for someone who collects things for donations, and it’s in limited supply there. And I began to feel a little bit of festivity for the approaching holiday. Tonight, the most special thing: shopping and dinner with my two daughters, just the three of us! Laughing, talking, doing a bit of shopping, and relaxing together. Exquisite.