In November we choose to highlight two unshakable forces—hope and gratitude. Even as I write this, I sit unknowing what will shake down on 11/5. That’s the struggle with writing about the here and now, when you’re up against a publishing deadline. But regardless of the outcome, we hold these two emotions close. Hope can be reckless, unfashionable, or even an act of rebellion that requires us to believe without proof. It’s the undercurrent, the quiet storm that moves through moments when we’re left with more questions than answers. It’s the heartbeat that refuses to quiet.
And gratitude, gratitude is a love letter to the world itself, isn’t it? It’s raw, grounding, and as defiant as it is humble. The
gratitude we’re talking about, is the gritty, bruised, no-filter kind. It’s the kind that finds us at our most unpolished and tells us there’s still something here worth cherishing. It’s the audacious act of daring to say thank you, even when the world is anything but easy.
Here’s to a hope that doesn’t flinch and a gratitude that doesn’t sugar coat reality, but rather, allows us to find the beauty in the chaos. We hope November finds you surrounded by friends, family and a community that lifts you up.
Your neighbors,
Shaleen and Sam DeStefano