But First, A Toast

 

To the unexpected fruit of bringing this book to life:

To the fruit of gratitude 

that multiplies as precision of detail sharpens,

to the fruit of honor 

in articulation of the beauty another life bestows,

and to the fruit of joy (and relief) 

in conveying the things I want to convey, 

in ways that seem worthy of conveying them.

I am still reaping where I never thought to look;

I am still breaking open for the sweetness and the seeds;

I am still sowing in the fields of this life

for the joy set before me 

to always be a page for God to freely write upon; 

to understand who it is that walks with me 

in the other various arenas of my life,

and to know what it feels like 

to make a thing exist that did not exist before —

that is rich.

That is beautiful.

That is kind. 

And for the sobering, joyful, relieving remembrance that

I have just once voice,

this is just a book,

and we are just right here —

I am grateful.

I am honored.

I am enriched. 

And I hope that you are, too.

Sincerely,

Brittany