12 Joys

Twelve is my favourite number because when one is 12, one’s soul is perfect. It is complete; it is in tact. This page is dedicated to my sponsor, Mary, whose purple-and-turquoise hair makes me happy. Here are 12 things I’m grateful for today …

September 13,2026

1. I am grateful for pillows, for the lovely soul who sent us to sleep upon such softness each night.
2. I am thankful I can pray to God and Mother Earth and ask for their help. I am grateful to have given in, to let it go and try again. 
3. I am grateful to have a sponsor I trust, because trust does not come easily to me. 
4. I am grateful handsome Luke came to the meeting last night, even though he was late.
5. I am grateful I found a lawyer who may be able to help me or point me in the right direction so that I no longer will have to carry this sadness in silence. I pray I make good decisions with God’s help. 
6. I am so thankful to have heard from sweet Molly. I am thankful she trusts me and cares about me. Somehow she knew just what day I needed her message most! Whatever would I have done without it?
7. I am grateful for the forgiveness of Kyrsten who I like so much, even though I have not been a good friend this week. 
8. I am thankful that Ellen Grace still includes me. I cherish her, and I am deeply, sincerely proud of her.  I am so GLAD she has found guidance, and love, and will not need to repeat my life. I am thankful God has a different plan for her.
9. I am so terribly grateful for my friend Isaiah, who is crazy like I am, who truly, honestly knows how it feels. I am grateful for the magic that makes me pick up his calls even when my phone is set to silent. 
10. I’m grateful I didn’t have to go to AA today, honestly. I didn’t feel up to it this morning, and I was able to sleep in. 
11. I am grateful I got to hold Love last night. Where would I be without my bear and my frog?
12. I am grateful that, at the last minute, I somehow found an outfit to make me feel good about myself. And I am thankful also that Lucas has a tiny little bit of a tummy, that other people are imperfect like I am. I like his eyes that are the colour of hot tea.

September 2, 2026

1. La pajarita and her bright, lovely help with Stinky, which has changed my life
2. Phoebe, my bicycle, who is 31 this fall
3. Deep breaths
4. Blue sheets
5. Fresh starts
6. That Rose could go to school today, and that I drew her a good napkin
7. My buddy, Isaiah, who teaches me songs and TV shows
8. Lipstick!
9. Sharp, clean scissors — in every room
10. My new plumber and his father, a man who knows wells
11. Ghee and Unkie’s help
12. That I live in a world with love

September 1, 2026

1. Pomegranates
2. Body butter, how it smells and feels
3. My sponsor, Mary, who tells me she loves me and answers our calls, “Good morning.” Mary is the person who is loving me until I can love myself. It took so long to find her, and I feel so grateful.
4. Otis Redding
5. That my heart is not hurting yet, that I feel a little hope for this day
6. Fringe Studio notebooks — my favorite paper!
7. Fountain pens
8. My beautiful grandfather who knew how to correct me without hurting me
9. Mama Zan and Papa Zan, my buddies
10. Sunshine
11. Dog beds
12. Ceiling fans

August 26,2026

1. My child, who makes me laugh — and cry!
2. Pineapple upside-down cake
3. My two beautiful girls, Louisa and Lossie, who I love every minute of every day, still and always
4. AA friends — having friends again
5. My grandmother (103) and my Mama (91), whose birthdays will be here to celebrate soon! 
6. Caroline and Mary’s Zoom hearts to give me courage as I tried to share
7. My young friend Ellen Grace who I get to see soon for supper — also that she has found someone to love!
8. My safe bed I can crawl into when my heart misses Prince very badly
9. Love and Froggie, my dearest friends
10. Dolly Parton, again 🩵
11. The ocean, as always
12. The hope that I will be able to awaken and try again tomorrow

August 25, 2026

Tonight I am grateful for my heroine, Dolly Parton. I am grateful for her life, the music she left us, and the kindness she gave to the world. She was an angel on earth, and now she is an angel in heaven. I think she and Mama are going to be best friends! 

I love her so much and am grateful I was able to live on Earth at the same time she did. I’m grateful I got to hear her sing in person twice. I’m grateful for all she taught me about how to be a woman and a human being. She was everything Donald Trump is not. 

There will never be another Dolly. She was so special, and I send her off with boundless love. I shall miss her so. She mattered a great deal to me.