i didn't think i would cry.

last night i gathered thirteen people in the same room to fill their bellies with some of my favorite foods and taste wines that are beyond my sophistication. they believed they were there to celebrate my upcoming birthday, but they were actually there because i wanted to celebrate them- some of them my best friends, some of them people i see often and share life with in the same community- they all have something in common: they live in san francisco and have shown up in extraordinary ways in the last threehundred and sixtythree days.

i have moments i want to hold onto, moments i want to remember, and one occurred last night: the part where i started to cry as i became overwhelmed with gratitude- right there in the middle of the restaurant full of forty other people. i didn't expect the clementine-in-my-throat/pause-to-collect-myself physical reaction, but as i reflected on this past year, i couldn't help it... the highest highs and lowest lows life-to-date (is that a phrase? i figure you can replace year with life?) flashed in my mind and the people sitting around the table were all in one place. it was absolutely perfect.