TGIF: Gratitude Edition

I might like to make fun of everything, sure. I might enjoy a little mockery, a little sarcasm. But once a year it’s good to put down the barbs and be grateful. So I’ll start with a couple thoughts. But mostly this post is for the comments section: Please share with everyone what you’re thankful for. Because as I’m avoiding chores on Friday, I’d love to read through it.

→ The National Guard: I’m thankful for the National Guard because somebody has to be the grown-up in the room, and it’s them. They have normal civilian jobs and give up their free time for all of us. It’s a cliché, but it’s true that soft, bookish people like me can exist only because folks like the National Guard will show up in a mess, and get me out of it. I’m reminded of them, of course, because someone just shot two of them in Washington, D.C. I’m reminded how close to barbarity we always are. We think peace is the normal state of things. We delude ourselves that the world is one big organic garden of people all wanting to get along, that violence comes just from bad childhoods or need, rather than from other human beings who genuinely want to destroy everything we have and love, held at bay by part-time soldiers in our midst. Too dark, you might say, and I do too! Back to watching the kids and maybe a new movie tonight. (I’m grateful to the National Guard for letting me continue to delude myself.)

→ The Free Press team: The other day, our incredible office manager and events runner Ryan Engelhardt organized a team lunch. And next to the pizza, she’d set up a Thanksgiving card station for everyone to make cards for folks in a local homeless shelter. I stood there watching dozens of Free Pressers grabbing food and drawing turkeys, writing notes, thinking what might comfort someone. And I started crying! It’s hard to believe how much this community has grown and how much of a world it is now. And I don’t mean the subscribers; I mean the community of our staff. They’re ambitious and brilliant, but they’re also fun. I’m not invited out to any of the hangouts (I’m sure they just forget to text?), but I like knowing they’re happening. I’m reminded of being 22 years old and starting at the San Francisco Chronicle, the pack of us young reporters, and how we stayed a pack as our careers all evolved. The Free Press is a few things: It’s a subscriber community; it’s a media company; it’s also a brand-new community of journalists and editors who are going to support each other for decades to come. History will decide, but that may end up being the most impactful part of this whole experiment. So I’m thankful for that—and especially for Ryan.

→ My Bar: I’m thankful for Bari, this year more than ever. First of all, she lets me make fun of her in TGIF and always laughs (I usually get her approval but sometimes forget). Of course, she makes me better in the thousand ways a great life partner does, remembers where I put things, makes me laugh (she’s not nearly as funny as I am but she tries, and I love that). Humans think in conversation, not monologue, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to think in conversation with her.

But this year I’m thankful for what Bar’s doing in the world. This year I come to you as a Bari fan.

It’s been a dark year for the non-conspiratorial among us who love this country (for the conspiratorial who prefer Russia or Venezuela, it’s been amazing! Happy for you guys!). Anyway, Bar fights the good fight day in and day out. And I somehow made a series of brilliant decisions at 29 that led me to being here, having dinner with her every night. I’m so thankful for her.

What are you thankful for? Add it in the comments! We’ll have a double Where I TG next week (TGIF@thefp.com).

TGIF, everyone.