Good News & Gratitude Thread
Spontaneous Shoutout For Joy!
Hello Beyonders!
Like so many of you, for the past few years I’ve felt the world deep in my bones. It’s a lot. I’m careful with my news intake and whom I spend time with and what I read, et cetera. All of which helps. But just now as I was listening to NPR, I thought, dang, I need some good news. Even if it’s small good news. Even if it’s teeny-tiny-weensy good news. I want to hear it! Because often it is these teeny-tiny-weensy lovely moments that are our life. And that can collectively constitute an overall good life. But in the barrage of all that is today, it’s easy to lose track of that.
For many years, a dear friend and I ended our days by texting each other three things we were grateful for that day. They could be small. They could be huge. They could be in-between. We didn’t feel the need to explain anything. They ranged from having clean, running water to snuggling with our animal babies to making a new friend to spending an afternoon painting to having a shift in a physical challenge to a perfect piece of chocolate cake to moving to a new home in a new state. And so on. Anything that lit us up inside in any manner. Anything that brought us back into our beautiful bodies. Anything that offered hope. Or joy. Or pleasure.
The practice of sharing our gratitude and good news with each other, of having a witness, was profound for both of us. Listening to the dire news just now, I was overwhelmed with the desire to find that again. And suddenly I thought: Beyond! Maybe we can all share something that happened in the past week that delighted us, that made us glad to be here, that inspired us, that brought even a modicum of relief, that we’re proud of. It can be anything! And together we can create a news stream that affirms there is also wonderfulness in this world, in ourselves, in each other. This isn’t to diminish or deny the hard stuff; it’s real. Rather to shine a light on the beauty, the hope, the joy—which is also real.
Michigan is in the throes of damp, low-low-low pressure weather which just blows out my head. These are days where I normally lay as low as possible and trudge through. These are not days where I throw open my heart and spontaneously email thousands of people asking them to share their joy. But maybe this is just what today requires. Having said that, please forgive the typos, et cetera. My brain is not at her best.
Anyway, I’ll go first. Things that brought me joy this week: Installing my bees. My garden doesn’t feel whole, and I don’t feel whole, until the bees are there. In between the pounding rain, we had a few streams of sunshine and actually hit the fifties. It delighted me to no end to sit in the garden with Delilah and Rudy and watch the birds feed and splash in their bath whilst they sang at the top of their lungs and the bees buzzed around collecting pollen. Everything is green again. Buds are forming on my roses and xx(cannot remember the name of this flower due to aforementioned Bad Head Weather Day but when I think of it, I’ll circle back and fill it in!) These are moments where I’m at my most content.
How about you? What brought you joy? Delight? What are you proud of? What’s your good news? What are you grateful for? Please do share! I think we all need to hear about it!
xJane
This week was a joy, both professional as well as personally. My novel was nominated fro The Pacific NW Booksellelrs Award - which is lovely 'cause I'm kind of a big nobody around here and I'd like to be a somebody! However, most important to me, I am up and around!! I've been resigned to my bottom since September due to a knee injury, eventually having to have surgery. That was January. Finally, finally, finally, I went to a glittery party last night! I couldn't dance, but I could walk to the hall from the car and enjoy the conversations and -- SEEING FRIENDS! I am so grateful for my friends, and my family who have been total mensches, taking care of me.
YOU! You brought me joy this week -with your very generous offer, your beautiful words, and your vulnerability that inspires the rest of us to share our stories with the world.