GRATITUDE EXPRESSED
2023 ended. 2024 has begun. Looking back I realize there are things for which I am thankful. I am grateful that I survived. It was also the year of my second retirement. I appreciated the opportunity at 65 to outproduce technicians half (and some 1/3rd) my age. I wasn’t even trying most of the time.
I would be remiss if I did not mention some people …
First, my wife is a real trooper. Ready or not she is commanded to hear my articles before they are posted. Not really…I never command her, but I whine pitifully if she doesn’t. However, she gets no respite from the deluge of articles and stories.
She corrects my adjective orders (because I grew up near Pennsylvania Dutch country and have a poor sense of it). Sometimes she points out a poor choice of word. Sometimes she tells me to “go back to the drawing board.” When she does not understand something I know I had better re-write the paragraph.
She also keeps me from using the word “idiot.” At one time it was one of my “go to” words, it rarely is now.
Her middle name should be “Patience.”
On the other hand, she loves my stories and prefers that I speak them aloud. When I do she can experience each character as that character is supposed to sound and act.
She is my biggest cheerleader. Sometimes, if I write something quite amazing (yes, it truly happens … but not often enough) I have to read it aloud immediately. So, when I was recently writing a fable about a troll, I would read each chapter as soon as written. It hurt me more than her if the next chapter wasn’t as enthralling as the last. She loved the hen singing to herself, “Cluck…hmmm…Cluck…hmmm…”
Second, OWLY.
She provides a safe outlet for my rantings. I know it takes time and trouble for her to do so. Yet she does so without a complaint.
In addition, she does all the wizardly things I haven’t a clue to do. She takes phone pictures and turns them into article illustrations. I can’t even figure out how to send them to my own computer.
Plus, she puts links into my articles (I intend to do it, but then I forget…I will attempt to be better at this). I never asked her to do it, but she does it faithfully. If I mention a writer, she finds a bio. Occasionally (not often) an article I have read and recorded faithfully is unfindable with a search engine and she finds a companion article to link. Computers are not my forte … at least not since my last 286. I could do everything “computery” then, now it is a vast mystery world. In essence, she makes my efforts searchable. Thanks!
Lastly, I know she does not always agree 100% with every post … yet she publishes them anyway. That’s “un-social media-ish” of her, don’t you think?
She should be rewarded. The best reward is to promote her site to your friends and family and comment on her posts when able. A little encouragement goes a long way.
Third, I have a set of local friends who are not afraid to make fun of me, criticize, and disagree. When I receive a huge outburst of laughter at a phrase, I know I’m on the right track. Thanks, guys!
Finally, YOU. You read my rants, raves, and curious stuff. Sometimes you comment. Thank you. I try to reward you with an imaginative story from time to time (See the Notice following). My favorite post (very short) is called “The Chicken.” Go back to the archived posts if you haven’t read it.
[NOTICE: Be on the lookout for the short story coming in February: “Ghost Cabin.” It is a mildly amusing story about a confused ghost who needs mental health counseling. I started writing it for fun when we stayed in early November at a cozy cabin. At least check out the pictures.]
Copyright 2024 Donald Whelpley
[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him if you post it elsewhere. ~ Sherry]
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