Clark and Margaret.

And so we come to the last entry of what has been an . . . interesting . . . year.

I remember saying a year ago that I expected 1998 to be full of changes for me. That much was most certainly true, though I don't think I ever could have foreseen just how extensive those changes were going to be. I knew at the beginning of the year that I was getting divorced, but I really had no idea how much that would affect me or where I would end up. I think I'd just begun to consider the possibility of applying to Clarion back then, barely daring to hope that I could actually get accepted.

But here I am now, single, a homeowner again, and a Clarion grad.

I'm not sure I can really list my accomplishments for the year. Most of them are pretty nebulous. I think the biggest one is that I survived this year. It was extremely wrenching and painful many times, especially early in the year. Then gradually things progressed to less awful, and then dared to approach wonderful. I've changed. There's no denying that. I think it's mostly for the better, though I can look at myself and see some of the cynicism that I've developed. I'm less trusting about some things, and uncertain about others. But on the whole I feel much better about who I am and what my goals are.

I continue to be immensely grateful that I was able to attend Clarion this past summer. I think that long-time readers of this journal already know how good that experience was for me, for my writing, and for my sense of self.

I'm glad that I have the network of friends that I do, who helped me get through a very difficult time in my life this year. I'm also unbelievably lucky that I have parents who are so loving and supportive. No one is strong by themselves. It's the people around you who make you strong.

So, I suppose that if I had to point to one thing that stood out this year, one thing that I discovered or learned, it's that I'm the luckiest woman in the world to have such friends and family.

Thank you all.