When I get down, I've trained myself to think about all the marvelous things you do and the beautiful pictures you post and the ways you're all trying to live out your truest self and yes, even your snarky comebacks and it all fills up my hope tank.

You are activists and clergy and singers and teachers and writers and encouragers and you are so honest about what you struggle with that it shows other people that yes, it's okay to struggle with that, too.

And yes, you who are retired or unemployed or don't work for health reasons, you share beauty and ideas and great songs. To those who volunteer, thank you! To those who share videos of their kids and grandkids, thank you!

And you who are students feeling utterly swamped by this awful semester and way too many fashy teachers, thanks for being here too. Thanks for your telegrams from academia. I hope you get what you need from your schooling without it totally tiring you out.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I could not have survived this year without you.