Today I am grateful to my best friend for...

...lighting up my life for most of his 40 years
...telling me the story of the king and the ring
...also telling me the story of the giant caterpillar and the Ethiopian abortionist
...lending his name and somehow all of his very best qualities to my offspring
...having a plan
...his alter-ego, who I have watched blossom from a simple farmer into a shrewd suburban land developer
...appreciating my cooking, even when he hasn't eaten it
...laughing when i want him to
...seeing the very truest me and loving me anyway (because of it, even! how IS that?)
...knowing all of the answers on the first day of school, thereby taking the pressure off the rest of us
...being my soul mate, so I know that whatever else happens, everything will be okay