Being Grateful

I normally write things like this on my other blog, but today I shall be different. I keep two blogs - one is the blog I’ve had since 2004 about Italy, while the other (this one) is about Tango. I wanted to keep them separate, as my passion for both subjects is great and both deserve their own time in the spotlight. I also love to write.

So now it is 2008. I haven’t had a chance to think of resolutions, etc., because 2007 was so intense that I’ve had to just digest that for a while - and that could take all of 2008 if I’m not careful. This morning I woke up and decided to just be grateful this year. I want to constantly take note of all the things I’m grateful for - at least once a day. That’s going to get me through 2008 and it will help me digest 2007.

What am I grateful for today?

I am grateful for all of the intense experiences I’ve had in the past two years that made me who I am. I went through a lot of turmoil to decide to move to Italy, I DID it (yay!), went to Buenos Aires which was a very emotionally raw time for me, got back to Seattle and started my own career! This is all very intense. And I am grateful for the fact that I had the strength somewhere inside of me to do it all. While dancing in high heels.
I’m grateful for the month I spent in Buenos Aires last year, and all the people I met there. It has led me to go back in less than a month (!!) to see the same people and meet a few others who I know will leap right into my heart and stay there.

I’m grateful for the tango communities around the world. If it hadn’t been for tango, I would not have had so many friends in Italy. When you move to a new country, it’s hard to assimilate fully because you don’t have friends around you. I was lucky - I had a passion. When I arrived, after getting sort of settled, I looked up the Tango scene in Perugia, found a wonderful American expat named Helaine who started the Tango scene there about 5 years ago, and I went to a milonga. Everybody was immediately welcoming. I had a community! Of locals!

The tango community in Seattle was instrumental in my emotional well-being as I adjusted to returning to a city I do not necessarily want to be in. Upon returning, I went straight to a milonga to relax into the embraces of old friends. Tango has been my therapy through all of the ups and downs of life. Not only because of the dance itself and the feelings it brings, but because of the people I see at the milongas. I’m so lucky.

I’m grateful for Italy because it shapes who I am on a daily basis, whether I’m here or there. I’m going back this spring and I can’t wait to breathe the air there. I’m missing it, my soul depends on it. I’m grateful that I can say I live between the U.S. and Italy, as that’s how it seems to have taken shape.

I’m grateful for the translation work I’m getting as a freelancer - oh, that reminds me, I have two translations to do today, for very special clients, so I’d better get those finished.

Until next time… Happy New Year!