I am Thankful for HER

Changed my life. | Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Maybe the best thing about writing for LAist is that we are constantly encouraged by our extraordinarily generous editors to reach out into the scary ether and be personal with our stories. Sure, it doesn't always work out as we intended--we always eventually, clumsily embarrass ourselves a bit by being too personal--but it's great that we have such a liberal outlet for our thoughts. Earlier this week, we are all encouraged to share with our readers the things that we were thankful to have in our lives this year. This is my piece.

I'm thankful for all the normal things that people have in their lives: friends, family, moments, events. I'm thankful that Keith, Steve and Tommy traveled all the way here from North Carolina and thoroughly emasculated the L.A. bar scene. I'm thankful that I was able to visit my dad in Kentucky and bring some rare light into his difficult life. I'm thankful that my sisters and I have spoken more this year than we ever have. I'm thankful for the week I spent at Sundance in January. I'm thankful for bringing Once to her.

Oh! Heartache! Perfection! | Photo courtesy of Eoin Larkin via Flickr

HER. That's where it's all began and ended for me this year. It was--as I'm sure all of you can understand--one of those years. She's long gone now, but I think it's appropriate (since I know she's secretly reading this) that I let her know what a difference she's made in my life. I'm thankful that I met her; I'm thankful that we took all of those meandering walks that were pointless except for the fact that we got to know each other in a deep and meaningful way; I'm thankful for those first, perfect laughs that totally captured me.

I'm thankful for that drive home from the Santa Monica Pier; I'm thankful for those moments in the booth at the Gaslight; I'm thankful for that hour of wildness on Wilshire Boulevard; I'm thankful for that night I spent writing at the awful Hollywood Ramada; I'm thankful for the furtive texts she sent me; I'm thankful for that night at Jones Cafe; I'm thankful for mail rooms and Daily Pints of beer; I'm thankful for that last night and--so deeply--I'm thankful that she didn't give up on me after that last night when I was sure she would.

I'm thankful for your unexpected kiss on the patio; I'm thankful for you passively-aggressively making me take you to that concert at the Largo; I'm thankful for every moment after we left the Largo that night; I'm thankful for the message you sent to me late on Halloween; I'm thankful that I was there for you a few days later; I'm thankful that you trusted me enough to stay with me when you were scared; I'm thankful that you called me when you were even more scared--Jesus, I wish you weren't so damn scared all of the time.

And I'm thankful--most of all--I'm thankful that you don't give up on me when it would be so much easier for you if you would just give up on me. I'm thankful that we are friends and will always be friends. I'm thankful that we have been through hell and back and yet our first inclination is just to smile at each other. Isn't that an amazing thing? Every impulse in the world can say, "No, no, no!" and yet we just giggle and talk about what we've been up to. I'm thankful that I met the friend of my life this year.

Happy Thanksgiving!