Deep Breaths

Okay. I've had my couple of days to wallow in the badness that was the end of the week. I've had my time to stare at the screen and hide from the world, and to stay up at night with my knees curled up to my forehead whimpering about whatifs. I've played through every possible scenario of doom from having to pick up half a dozen minimum wage jobs to ending up homeless and dying of scurvy, and I've cried and stomped my feet and sulked. Now it's time to catch my breath, wash my face, and get to work.

This task is made much easier by the immense army of support and kindness in my life. Friends have sent everything from indignant shouts of support to cheer-up-stuffed-animalgrams. A former client sent me a ludicrously sweet card, for no apparent reason other than her own personal brand of niceness. My sweetheart surprised me today with a single perfect rose, an early and unexpected Valentine's gift. This has been a much-needed social weekend, and I have had more than my fair share of hugs, kind words, and, when needed, firm reminders that the world really hasn't ended yet and things aren't quite so bad as all that.

Thank you.

So I will spend at least a part of tonight tweaking resumes and cover letters, and tomorrow making phone calls about relief work. And I will take at least a few minutes to remind myself that things aren't as bad as they seem, and the sky hasn't fallen yet. I think, at this point, I can even believe it.