Happy Wednesday! I’m off to Seattle for the AWP conference — so excited to be surrounded by tons of writers and reunite with some dear friends. But before I leave, it’s time for final February “year of Wooden” challenge!

This year I am doing “a year of Wooden” following the teachings of Coach John Wooden, and in particular his 7-Point Creed.

• January: Drink deeply from good books.
• February: Make friendship a fine art.

Last week, the challenge was to reach out and do a favor for a friend. I brought a chai latte to my friend Michelle who is recuperating from surgery. We usually have a Starbucks date every Wednesday, but she was in too much pain to leave her apartment, so I thought I would bring the Starbucks to her! She was so surprised and happy, and we had a wonderful long visit. I’m so grateful to have met her!

This week, the challenge is to send a thank-you note to a friend. Tell them what specific things you are grateful for about them and their friendship. What details do you love most about them? What special traits do they bring into your life?

I’ll leave you with wise words from Coach Wooden on making friendship a fine art:

Questions of the day:

• Have you done a favor for a friend lately? What was your experience?
• What are you most grateful for in your friendships?