Gratitude, In Three-Part Harmony

PART 1: 

In spite of a tenacious cold, limited range of motion in my right arm, and continuing issues with fluid retention around my surgical site, I've been swimming again and it feels great. You can see proof of the fact on the blog of a locally famous English Channel swimmer - here. (Now I feel famous too!) I've studied this photo and even I can't tell which side has a breast and which does not. Of course, this is just one angle and the fact isn't truly disguised, but it's nice to notice that something I braced myself for is really not such a glaring big deal.

PART 2: 

(I've been making thank you cards. See more here.) 

PART 3: 

Some thoughts, in poem-form, written in the car two days ago as J~ drove us home from a holiday visit with family:

I understand now that life is short

that forty is young

that now matters

that later is tantamount to never

that I am temporary

and so are you.

I keep coming back to the desire

to give all my gifts

to orchestrate my life's energy

around giving

both personally and professionally

and to practice

on myself.