As I make lists and shop and chop and bake in preparation for my favorite holiday tomorrow, I also give thanks. The recent loss of a dear friend has helped me refocus on the blessedness of everyday gifts. I have appreciated the pink sunrises and orange sunsets. I’m trying to notice and savor the deliciousness of a crisp apple, the smell of clean sheets.

I am a lifelong member of the church. I am also a liberal feminist in a deeply conservative small town ward. The past two years have been difficult, especially the last year. As my thoughts and feelings about the church and the gospel have evolved, I have come to realize how very much the Exponent community means to me.

I don’t have many liberal friends. I often feel lonely. I have good friends, but we have very different views, including our ideas about politics, the second amendment, and the role of women in our church. Trying to understand how good and loving people can have such different values and priorities can be exhausting.

As a long time reader, I have found the Exponent blog to be a breath of fresh air. Having kindred spirits, even though we have never met in person, has been a lifeline for me. Reading your thoughtful posts and comments has stimulated my thinking, and strengthened my conviction that while there is good in our gospel and community, there is much that is negative and damaging. Contributing to Exponent over the past several months has been an honor and a challenge. Knowing that there are others that share my questions and frustrations has been so important to me.

So, as I count my blessings, naming them one by one, know that the Exponent family is on my list. Thank you for being my friends.