day 19: connection. reconnection.

If you've been following along at home for the last few years, you already know that I started this December 30 days of gratitude because of an inspiring, but physically distant, friend: Jote.
That we'd reconnected in the ether with social media allowing us to have found each other and giving glimpses into our lives.

But we hadn't seen each other in almost 15 years.

I mentioned that I went to Austin in December.  I was wrapping up a year of travel, of exploring, and of doing things I've been saying for years I'd do.  That happened to include visiting my friend E. and his lovely family.

And it was also an excuse to see Jote.  With a little trepidation... despite the world of social media, our lives are so different than those unformed college days.  What if she didn't like me as much anymore? What if she wasn't actually excited to see me, but felt obligated to make time in her overwhelmed December pre-holiday schedule because I asked, and it had been so long?

When I opened E's door to head off with the lovely Jote for a cold morning walk, and she bounced her excitement at me... All that was dispelled. This was Jote, and her essential, quintessential, Jote-ness still speaks to my heart.

A couple years ago, I wrote about Jote "Older. Wiser. More bad-ass."  So true. She's a woman with a generous heart, an impeccable sense of what's needed, a snarky sense of humour in a very loving way. She's found a community of women friends that suits her, but I'm glad I'm still among them, even remotely.

So thankful that that connection is still there. That reconnection.  Here's to more reunions and more adventures, Jote. More walks along the water with touching public art displays. More conversations roaming from old to new to future.  And thank you for being so very you.