Gratitude Journal 12.23 I

Why Uber drivers inspire my gratitude.

12/1: sitting in my car outside of an auto service shop and seeing a for sale sign for a 1998 winnebago outside my newly-installed rearview mirror. 

12/2: the fact that I turned brake lights into holiday decorations while driving, before I got too close and the illusion evaporated. 

12/3: a new friend in Alexa, whose openness, professionalism, and warmth inspire my own. She writes her own extremely wise Substack here:

12/4: going back to the movies. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé inspiring me, naturally.

12/5: waking up before my alarm. It feels like I invite the day, instead of the other way around. 

12/6: uber driver who informed me I was his first passenger! We then had a lengthy discussion about jobs, partners, and meaning. 

12/7: the hospitality of my bosses who invited us into their home for a holiday celebration. 

12/8: falling asleep in the uber to work. As the driver explained to me when he dropped me off: “few people trust other drivers. You trusted me enough to dream”. 

12/9: convincing myself to take step after step on a very steep hike. Cameron’s voice echoed in the background, cheering me on. 

12/10: Holly Whitaker liking, commenting, and subscribing to this very Substack. I feel the sudden and urgent need to retire right away.

12/11: trusting my instincts at all costs. 

12/12: my sudoku book. I’m 65 puzzles in and still can’t get enough. Just for some perspective: that is approx. 21 hours of sudoku puzzling. If anyone is looking to buy me a Christmas present…

12/13: again, waking up before my alarm. My new practice of waking up at 6am to write has become habitual and my mind stirs awake naturally, knowing there are words to be written and ideas to claim. 

Until next time,

Kiera