A Day Just For You
Thank You Notes #20
“Celebrate your life; you are your own light.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita
Dear lovely readers and writers,
Last Friday, I took a day just for myself. It is a rare occasion that I take a whole day just for me.
Earlier I spotted a beautiful business park full of ponds, long winding paths, greenery, and trees.
I felt deep in my heart I needed to be there.
After stopping by a cafe for a coffee and a croissant, I strolled towards a single park bench overlooking the pond. A rambling stream leads into a placid pond as the ducks splashed and swam.
On my way, I saw a blue heron. It stood remarkably still as if to pose for the photo I took of it. That moment beckoned me to slow down. Not only for that day, but all of my days.
As I wandered through those paths, more and more treasures of nature opened up for me.
A whole pond covered in waterlilies with trees perfectly framing it, a softly wandering creek amongst the shade, and other scenes reminded me of the peace nature can bring.
The messages coming through from nature and my inner being were: take time for yourself so that you can feel the light of the world.
This, my dear friends, is my message for you:
Slow down, take the world in, and know you deserve a day just for yourself. When you give yourself the gift of time, it is more precious than gold.
I will be taking one day a week to walk and explore those gardens, to be still with myself and the world, so that I may spread more light through my writing.
It is a day just for you.
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The theme this week is:
Share a story or a poem about a day you took just for yourself. What did you do? What did you experience?
How are you grateful for that day?
I am excited to read, edit and publish your beautiful work this week!
Today I want to highlight two of our writers who have started their own publications. I am so proud of them and excited about what they will create in the community!
Ellie Jacobson created Flint and Steel, which features writing prompts to spark your creativity. I love this concept! In her first newsletter, she included her own prompt as well as others collected from fellow writers. Thank you, Ellie, for creating a space for our sparks of creativity!
Check out her publication here: https://medium.com/flint-and-steel
Sahil Patel created his own poetry publication, Lifeline, to feature poetry about love, life, and emotions. I love this concept and it is a very welcoming place for all poets to gather. Thank you, Sahil, for creating a home for our free-flowing emotions through poetry!
Check out his publication here: https://medium.com/lifeline-poetry
This week our writers have beautiful stories and poems to share with all of you!
I feel so honored as your editor to be able to read, edit and publish your stories each week at Thank You Notes. You are all a blessing in my life.
Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles wrote a lovely note of thanks to fifty things in her life she is grateful for. I love her sweet way of being in this world. I recognized many things on this list that I too, love. It is often the everyday things that are the most beautiful in our lives. Thank you, Vidya, for always bringing a smile to our faces with your writing!
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/50-shades-of-grateful-60e0369bdffe
Kris Bedenian wrote two lovely pieces this week. Her first one is about how change is constant, but we often resist it. I love her gentle advice about how to go with the flow in life. I always come away with lots of great ideas when I read her ideas. Her second piece talks about why we tend to overthink and procrastinate rather than just getting tasks done. I love how she explains ways to get on with our work in a more loving way. Thank you, Kris, for spreading your great ideas and gratitude for everything in life!
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/change-is-inevitable-so-why-do-we-resist-it-so-often-7ef21ed9bfa2
Chrissie Morris Brady Ph.D. wrote a thank you note for a lady who was kind to her in a time of need. I love this sweet note, a capsule of a few moments in time where two people reached out to each other, to be a support. Thank you, Chrissie, for sharing this loving moment in your life.
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/thank-you-claire-52706ff71309
B.R. Shenoy wrote a note of gratitude to her Italian coffee pot or Moka pot. As a coffee lover myself, I loved reading all about why she loves this method of making coffee. You will be delighted with this lovely essay. I know I will be investigating getting one of these magical coffee pots in the future! Thank you, B.R., for bringing us some joy with your tales of making coffee.
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/my-italian-coffee-pot-fix-f908e097ad7e
Annelise Lords, a master storyteller, shares a story of a man who lost awareness of his situation in life. He turned a blind eye for the signs that he was in over his head, and it caught up with him. She shows her gratitude for awareness in her own life and how it has helped her every day. Thank you, Annelise, for crafting a lovely story to remind us of how awareness is important in our lives.
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/giving-thanks-to-awareness-d399ff511ef
Fiza Ameen wrote a loving piece about looking inside ourselves to find a better life, rather than relying on outside circumstances. I always come away from reading her pieces with happy tears in my eyes. I can feel the emotions coming across her writing. Thank you, Fiza, for sharing this lovely essay with us!
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/looking-inside-for-a-better-life-9645bf75a767
Karen Schwartz wrote a note of sincere gratitude for her doctor who helped her through so much of her life. He was there with her through so many ups, downs, and difficult moments. She is deeply grateful for the tools and practices she learned from him that still help her today. Thank you, Karen, for sharing your life experience and opening up the doors to health and wellbeing in our lives through those who help us.
https://medium.com/thank-you-notes/doctors-shouldnt-die-first-what-were-you-thinking-c34e1447f2bf
Thank you to all of our wonderful writers here at Thank You Notes!
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Neha Sandhir S, Shivi Puri, Adelia Ritchie, Amy Marley, Anthony O'Dugan, A Rustic Mind (Manali Desai), Ashley Nicole, Aurora Eliam, CMP, Kris Bedenian, Bhavna Narula, Bob Jasper, B.R. Shenoy, Brajendra Kumar, Carolyn Hastings, Destiny S. Harris, Gurpreet Dhariwal, VIRGO, Donna Brown, Desiree Driesenaar, Elle How, Ellie Jacobson, Fiza Ameen, Gauri Sirur, Ija Mei, Indubala Kachhawa, jenine bsharah baines, JoAnn Ryan, John C. Davis, Juana Flor, Pene Hodge, Karen Schwartz, Katie Michaelson, Annick Batamuliza, Krishh, Kyomi O'Connor, Lanu Pitan, Lucia Sugafield, Maryam B. Mirza, Mark Hackett, Chrissie Morris Brady Ph.D., Mulan, Natalie B. Kemp, Niru, Noorain Hassan, BMS, palvi sharma, Penofgold, pockett dessert, Dr. Preeti Singh, Sara Ali, Sanjit Sengupta, Shirley Jones Luke, Susan Poole, Sahil Patel, Annelise Lords, Tree Langdon, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Yana Bostongirl
