Summer is ending, and the brambles of sunflowers along the highway to work and back will soon be a sweet memory. To celebrate the Feast of Mabon, (technically tomorrow but I’m in a place to write tonight), here’s a smattering of my bountiful harvest for the year!

1. Fulfilling career: New job, which allows me to work with clients in a residential setting, in the world of substance abuse recovery. I love the people with whom I work, both clients and staff. It’s a bit of old (substance abuse), bit of new (working with women), and it’s a spiritually based program…which works for me, agnostic and all. I’m learning about a culture that always interested me and a faith structure that makes sense in a way Judeo-Christian ideals never have for me.
2. Fortune: In my new job, I can actually support myself and save money, something both comforting and exciting. I’m not very skilled at handling money just yet, as this is the first time in my life when I wasn’t consistently broke OR paying for someone else’s bad habits. It’s a wonderful feeling.
3. Familiars: Not the first year I’ve had Oscar, but we celebrated his first birthday, he’s full grown (physically, his brain is still mostly puppy skittles) and I’ve been able to take him camping and on visits out of town, which makes me so very happy! Dante Is also 16 years old this year, and still loud and insistently cuddly.
4. Self reliance: Camped in California with old friends, didn’t go overboard with the ‘fun’, and drove there and back on my own. Now I have a massive supply of camping goods, see also: not good with money. Still, the entire trip was impressive to do alone, and I’m proud of myself for handling it on my own.
5. Home: I’ve made a beautiful home for myself, if I do say so. It’s cozy, unique, filled with my art and things that allow me to enjoy them both alone and with loved ones who visit. I made myself a deal that whenever possible, even buying a new set of plates, my purchases would be items that I think are pretty, functional, and interesting. Im proud to show off my place to my friends and family. I’m proud I paid for it myself, too.
6. Friendships: I’ve talked about the incredible effort it takes to maintain a strong social network/ support structure/ coven. I’ve definitely reaped that harvest, and it keeps on blooming over and over…
7. Self-love: I quit dieting AND giving myself room to hate my body. That particular version of crazy brain is no longer welcome in my life. There’s no space for that shit now. I buy clothes that suit me and look good, I get rid of even the cutest piece if it’s too small or it makes me feel gross. My hair and my clothes, my jewelry and my tattoos, they all make me feel good, not too fat, not too big, not too much anything. And that decision…it was a choice, and a hard one…to love myself, is long overdue and wonderful.

So tonight, and tomorrow, I will encourage my loved ones (and clients) to dig deep and appreciate the bounty of months of hard work. Surely, there’s a difference between pride and being proud, and I hope to lean toward the latter…but hell, it’s Mabon, enjoy what you’ve earned this year!

oh, and if you’re struggling and finding it difficult to discern the harvest from the weeds, please remember to be kind to yourself. You’re not alone on this. Accomplishments, for me, are very hard to enjoy. The enjoyment, when it comes, is fleeting…especially after the days start getting shorter and the night are so cold and long. I think it’s worthwhile to give yourself a break. Even if the only thing you feel like you accomplished and earned this year was middling moments of joy in a sea of sorrow, you survived.

I’m grateful you’re here, Loyal Reader.