When Gratitude Keeps us Alive
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Hello friends, As I write this, cold, hard rains have returned after a brief false spring. The tulip magnolia buds that were just beginning to bloom lay in husks on damp sidewalks. Pink camellias lay in slick heaps, a danger to those without sturdy shoes. There’s a lot of danger in the world right now, for far too many of us. One thing that is getting me through is gratitude. In the wash of bad news, I see people showing up for one another. I see communities rallying to protect themselves and those who need it most. I see and hear signs—everywhere—that collectively, we are not giving up. Cultivating a daily gratitude practice allows me to notice all these actions, listen to all these voices, and feel bolstered, warmed inside by the light each of these people carry. To me, focusing on gratitude means that, among the slimy piles of camellia petals, I caught also caught sight of one, perfect, pink and whole. And I was able to see the blooms clinging stubbornly to the bush, nestled among the glossy green leaves. We are like those stubborn blooms, not giving up, despite being battered by hail and hard rain. There’s a second thing getting me through right now, and that is offering myself and others grace. By acknowledging that times are hard for almost all of us, my heart softens, as does my judgement. When the true culprits of our current precarious state seem impermeable and distant, is too easy to attack those nearby. I wrote more about offering grace right now on my Patreon. I made the essay free if you’d like to read my thoughts. But the main point is: we don’t have to attack each other. We can take a breath and remember to offer grace, and then let some measure of gratitude flow in again. The gratitude practice keeps me balanced enough to offer this grace, and to keep showing up for my work every day. Focusing on what is good helps me find ways to address the bad. How about you? Best wishes - Thorn My latest magical novel—based on the character Thomas the Rhymer—will launch with gorgeous special editions on Kickstarter this May. It's called The Winding Road. Please click to follow the campaign! Thanks!
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T. Thorn Coyle
Hello friends, There’s a lot of new growth to see on my walks around the city. Tiny green needles at the tips of the Douglas firs. Sprouting grasses. New hops clambering over fences. Tiny figs and unfurling leaves on an equally tiny sidewalk fig tree… There’s planning happening, too. Finches scouting nest sites. Crows gathering twigs. Tiny green figs on a tiny fig tree. All of this new growth and planning fills my heart with joy. So does what feels like celebration in the riot of flowers, the...
Hello friends On one of my walks, I encountered chalk art on the sidewalk. It’s not uncommon, in neighborhoods where children live, to find scraggly ghosts of hopscotch grids, or flowers, or rainbows at one’s feet. This time, it was a pink and yellow heart. I smiled, paused, and snapped this photo: Photo of a pink and yellow chalk heart on a sidewalk. That heart stayed with me, though, because this heart was not just evidence that someone had given a child some chalk to while away a bit of...
Hello friends My intention for this week’s newsletter was to share what I’d written on community prosperity and magic a couple of weeks ago. Or the podcast I just did on love and determination during hard times. And I’m still going to, below, because those thoughts are important, too. But first, I need to speak honestly about my current state. It’s not my usual uplifting musings, and I hope that’s okay with you. Last night, my sleep was troubled. I kept waking with thoughts of the men in...