Your Kindness is Improving Our World
One of the most important skills I learned while growing up was independence.
My father died when I was fifteen years old and that singular event perhaps more than anything else in my life created in me a desire to be strong, independent, and to take care of myself. When my first husband left me unexpectedly, it only solidified my belief that I needed to take care of myself (because you never know when the support you depend on might disappear).
This strategy of depending first and foremost on myself has served me well over the years. It was a critical component of many of my life decisions and it’s part of the reason that I now have the freedom to focus on writing Primrose Ponderings.
That being said, however, I have also learned that independence isn’t the only key to success. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to have had the support of my family, friends, and sometimes of people who barely know me. The kindness of strangers, in particular, can be a fascinating thing to observe when it happens in your own life.
Every act of kindness, if we allow ourselves to see the power in it, has the potential to buoy us up, to encourage us, and to give us renewed vigor for the journey when we are feeling overwhelmed, frightened, or despondent.
Lately, I’ve been noticing much kindness from you, my readers. It started with just a few close friends. I would write, they would read, and then they would encourage me to keep going. Several of my friends became free subscribers and, as word got out, I started seeing names and email addresses that I didn’t recognize in my subscriber list.
The strangers in my list came about because my friends shared my work with others. That has been a huge deal for me. It’s one thing to take your own time to subscribe and read Primrose Ponderings, but to risk your reputation by recommending my work to a friend is definitely taking things to the next level. I feel humbled when I think about you sharing my work.
Some of you comment about my work, either publicly or privately. Even though I haven’t yet created a space for discussion for my readers, I hope to do so someday and your comments will help me to decide how I might structure this community to be of the most benefit to all of us.
Last, but not least, a few of you decided to support me with a financial gift. As a newbie to professional writing, having someone support me in this way feels incredibly significant. It’s a boost to my confidence, to be sure, but even more importantly, these acts of kindness move me to a place of gratitude that is new, even for me.
By supporting my work, you are supporting my dream.
It’s one thing to have a dream and to know that I’m primarily responsible for making it come true. When I’m practicing music, researching a new topic to write about, or trying to find creative ways to reach my audience, there’s little that anyone can do to help me except to say “Keep going… you can do this!”
But when it comes to creating a community of folks who are working toward being happier, healthier, and more successful in life, all the independence in the world will not bring it to fruition. Literally, YOU are the key to the success of Primrose Ponderings. I can do the work of writing, but you decide whether my efforts will be shared or will sit idly at Substack.
Many of you have decided to share the love and I’m grateful for the part you play in my dream of bringing happiness, healing, and joy to the world. It’s oh-so-cliche to say, but increasing our own well-being is the best strategy to bring peace and calm to our violent and chaotic world. None of us can do it alone.
By reading, sharing, and implementing the ideas at Primrose Ponderings, you have literally improved the world through your kindness.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart… and for all the hearts that will be helped by Primrose Ponderings in the future.