Some of you might have read about my harrowing experience yesterday. It's okay now, but for a while there ... I didn't know if I was going to make it. If I never live through those painful hours again, it will be too soon. I was beside myself with grief and anguish.

I lost one of my slippers.

I know many of you sent your prayers and good wishes my way, and for that I will be eternally grateful. Your support helped me through a very difficult time in my life, and I'll never forget it. I could feel your love cradle me as I suffered, lost and confused, wondering what cold, uncertain future I faced -- alone. Slipperless.

Fortunately, my story had a happy ending. When I exhaustedly climbed into bed following my ordeal, I felt something under the sheets at the foot of the bed. Imagine my joy at discovering my lost slipper! I nearly fainted. I couldn't form coherent thoughts, my happiness was so great. In fact, happiness falls far short of what I was feeling. I think I need to coin a new word to describe it... joylicioushappygladphoria.

Although the official holiday lies more than a month away, I would still like to think of this as a Christmas miracle. Or perhaps it was just the Universe's way of making me more thankful at this year's Thanksgiving celebration. No matter what the explanation, I clutched that slipper to my chest and turned my eyes upward, pouring all the gratitude I could into that heartfelt "Thank You" I mouthed wordlessly into the heavens, a single tear of comingled euphoria and relief rolling down my cheek.

I can't say any more than that. Thank you. I will never be careless with my slippers again.