There are no perfect people, no perfect places to write, and when push comes to shove, all we have is each other. Plus, a letter from Kerouac to Ginsberg.
You are very right that it's in extremely short supply. Which is maybe all the more reason to give it whenever we can. Because it IS in short supply. And I got some to spare. I think many of us do. :)
This reminds me a Jewish legend that says every person has an angel that goes before them proclaiming, "The image and likeness of God!" How differently we'd treat each other if we could hear it.
Yours was the perfect post for me to read today. I’ve been “lurking” around Substack cooler for some time now.
I’ve done a few post, but nothing consistent. I’ve been wondering, is this where I should start writing, or another platform? That “wondering” has stalled me from putting pen to paper.
I felt overwhelmed and my focus shifted from actually writing to trying to understand all the variables on all the various platforms!
I will go back and read those you’ve recommended for sure.
And meanwhile, it’s time for me to commit and simply sit down and write.
Thank you for your insightful and inspirational post.
This hit me right in my soul. I haven't been a part of the Substack community long enough to know the lore, but I understand a world where women are held to a higher (impossible) standard than men. It's unfathomable to me that the problem persists in every space. I can't imagine the effort required for its total undoing, but kindness is an excellent first step.
In the late 1970s, Jimmy Carter tried to bring notice to the crumbling of the American psyche, and he got run out of town for it.
Many of us worried about the state of America's growing psychosis during those years and beyond. That if left unchecked, something would break. Maybe everything would break.
It happened.
The only thing each of us can do is what you're recommending here. It won't fix the world, but maybe you can build a safe enough island to weather the storm.
I forgot to mention that 200,000 subscribers is an amazing feat. I hope she's been able to maintain her list on another platform. She deserves every one of them, obviously. There are some techniques for managing trolls, but the number of them may have been unwieldy for her, which alone is pretty crazy (that there would be too many to manage). What a world.
Generally curating my feed to feed me kindness, humor, and creativity. I love a good discourse but sometimes I would just like to see someone make maps out of old restaurant menus, please.
What's great about Kindness is that it's actually mentioned as one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22. This means it is one of the key traits of God Himself!! Who doesn't enjoy meeting with a Kind person. Or actually showing Kindness to others. Thank you for this reminder. Best, David
This angel says whoever is listening and writing or thinking about writing do it and keep doing it. I’m 75 and though I’ve had a couple here and there essays shared in a magazine that’s the summer total of my worldly Writer position. I write on Substack because I find it a friendly place. I only have a Few followers and that’s OK with me because I really do believe there are angels out there and that whatever I write will get to exactly the place it needs to be without a whole lot of pushing. After all the best things in life happen because of angels, so let the kindness fall where it falls, and let everything else fall where it needs to probably the depth of the big ocean. I’m looking forward to reading all the things that you’ve suggested.
Well after 5 plus decades of hands in clay, I have cleaned it all away for writing and turned my pottery studio in to a painting studio. Clay did a fantastic job at teaching me what I needed most, five decades tests to that I needed a lot and I am a slow and detailed and learner. wouldn't change a thing.
Loved your line about whether human connection means anything anymore and forgetting the people we are talking to. That is a lot of what I've been thinking about lately, especially when it often feels like nobody's reading and we're only writing for algorithms. Thanks for this.
Beautiful post, Linda. I didn't know that happened to Glennon Doyle. It makes me very sad. She's done so much goid and doesn't deserve that--no one does. I've also been writing about kindness for a post coming up in a week, and the example my mother set of restoring dignity to people who've lost it.
I so agree, Judith. No one deserves that. Makes me wonder if those people can even imagine what it would feel like to see their own names in titles of posts like the ones they wrote. And I love what you're writing on. It costs nothing to let people have their dignity.
Like you I've noticed that women on Substack are treated much worse than men. Maybe I should tear up my man card, because I'm damned if I can understand why. There are some brilliant and gifted women writers here. I'm mediocre at best, and I'm OK with that. At the age of 77 I could be on final approach, though I feel like I've got at least another 20 years left in me. With age comes grandchildren, which tempers one to be kind. I try to follow my mother's admonition: "If you can't say something nice...". In 50+ years of selling, I've learned that the most effective marketing is to produce a great product for a small audience that appreciates it. They will tell the others, which is magnitudes better than advertising. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.
Don't you dare tear up your man card, Jim. We need good men. And there are lots of them. And for what it's worth, the people piling on her were mostly women. Only a couple of men in the bunch. But then, it was women who flung witch accusations 400 years ago, too. It's never been about men vs. women. That's another little fib people use to get clicks. :)
Thank you.
You are so welcome Samantha and thank you, too
You’re welcome. Your narrative is so compelling.
The one and only Glen Campbell put this message really well in song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luE-ljUpUzI
Awww, David. My mama loved that song. Thank you for the memory
Thank you, perfect song to accompany this great read. You have a knack for sharing at just the right time.
Kindness...hmm. In the time of Trump, that is in extremely short supply. Linda
p.s. I know my remark has nothing to do with the essay you wrote...just the title.
Robert
You are very right that it's in extremely short supply. Which is maybe all the more reason to give it whenever we can. Because it IS in short supply. And I got some to spare. I think many of us do. :)
Good point. I have a emergency supply. as well. My wife and I volunteer and spread it around.
I love that. I do as well. Mostly for cat shelters, but kitties need kindness too
This reminds me a Jewish legend that says every person has an angel that goes before them proclaiming, "The image and likeness of God!" How differently we'd treat each other if we could hear it.
How differently, indeed. Thank you Tawnya :)
Yes, this. Thanks for writing and sharing.
Thank you, too, Grace :)
Linda,
Yours was the perfect post for me to read today. I’ve been “lurking” around Substack cooler for some time now.
I’ve done a few post, but nothing consistent. I’ve been wondering, is this where I should start writing, or another platform? That “wondering” has stalled me from putting pen to paper.
I felt overwhelmed and my focus shifted from actually writing to trying to understand all the variables on all the various platforms!
I will go back and read those you’ve recommended for sure.
And meanwhile, it’s time for me to commit and simply sit down and write.
Thank you for your insightful and inspirational post.
Joe
Absolutely, Joe. Just sit down and write. I bet you'll love it. Come back and share your first post when you do so I can come read, okay?
See, now there you go, literally practicing what you were sharing about, being kind. Thank you and, I will. : )
This hit me right in my soul. I haven't been a part of the Substack community long enough to know the lore, but I understand a world where women are held to a higher (impossible) standard than men. It's unfathomable to me that the problem persists in every space. I can't imagine the effort required for its total undoing, but kindness is an excellent first step.
I love the way you put that, Bailey. And I agree. Kindness is a great first step!
Social media is broken because people are broken.
In the late 1970s, Jimmy Carter tried to bring notice to the crumbling of the American psyche, and he got run out of town for it.
Many of us worried about the state of America's growing psychosis during those years and beyond. That if left unchecked, something would break. Maybe everything would break.
It happened.
The only thing each of us can do is what you're recommending here. It won't fix the world, but maybe you can build a safe enough island to weather the storm.
I love that, Charles. Build a safe enough island to weather the storm. That says everything because we all need that. So much. Thank you. :)
Thanks :-) but you can thank yourself. All I did was give your ideas an advertising slogan, lol.
I forgot to mention that 200,000 subscribers is an amazing feat. I hope she's been able to maintain her list on another platform. She deserves every one of them, obviously. There are some techniques for managing trolls, but the number of them may have been unwieldy for her, which alone is pretty crazy (that there would be too many to manage). What a world.
Generally curating my feed to feed me kindness, humor, and creativity. I love a good discourse but sometimes I would just like to see someone make maps out of old restaurant menus, please.
Omg Kyrie, right? And menus out of old maps. I love seeing things people make. I should share more of those.
What's great about Kindness is that it's actually mentioned as one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22. This means it is one of the key traits of God Himself!! Who doesn't enjoy meeting with a Kind person. Or actually showing Kindness to others. Thank you for this reminder. Best, David
You are so right -- who doesn't love meeting kind people? I know I sure do. Does my heart so much good. Thank you, David.
Wow. What a fantastic read, so many levels.
This angel says whoever is listening and writing or thinking about writing do it and keep doing it. I’m 75 and though I’ve had a couple here and there essays shared in a magazine that’s the summer total of my worldly Writer position. I write on Substack because I find it a friendly place. I only have a Few followers and that’s OK with me because I really do believe there are angels out there and that whatever I write will get to exactly the place it needs to be without a whole lot of pushing. After all the best things in life happen because of angels, so let the kindness fall where it falls, and let everything else fall where it needs to probably the depth of the big ocean. I’m looking forward to reading all the things that you’ve suggested.
Oh my gosh, I love that you do pottery. It's something I've always wanted to try
Well after 5 plus decades of hands in clay, I have cleaned it all away for writing and turned my pottery studio in to a painting studio. Clay did a fantastic job at teaching me what I needed most, five decades tests to that I needed a lot and I am a slow and detailed and learner. wouldn't change a thing.
Thank you for sharing YOUR kindness. You are an angel. We're all angels walking each other home.
Ram Dass. We're all just walking each other home. I think we forget, sometimes. I love that Sheree.
Loved your line about whether human connection means anything anymore and forgetting the people we are talking to. That is a lot of what I've been thinking about lately, especially when it often feels like nobody's reading and we're only writing for algorithms. Thanks for this.
You're so welcome, Craig. We all live too fast sometimes I think and the pace makes us look for shortcuts where there are none. And thank you
Yes to kindness, Thank you Linda.
I am with you, Lorene. Yes to kindness. And thank you, too
Beautiful post, Linda. I didn't know that happened to Glennon Doyle. It makes me very sad. She's done so much goid and doesn't deserve that--no one does. I've also been writing about kindness for a post coming up in a week, and the example my mother set of restoring dignity to people who've lost it.
I so agree, Judith. No one deserves that. Makes me wonder if those people can even imagine what it would feel like to see their own names in titles of posts like the ones they wrote. And I love what you're writing on. It costs nothing to let people have their dignity.
Like you I've noticed that women on Substack are treated much worse than men. Maybe I should tear up my man card, because I'm damned if I can understand why. There are some brilliant and gifted women writers here. I'm mediocre at best, and I'm OK with that. At the age of 77 I could be on final approach, though I feel like I've got at least another 20 years left in me. With age comes grandchildren, which tempers one to be kind. I try to follow my mother's admonition: "If you can't say something nice...". In 50+ years of selling, I've learned that the most effective marketing is to produce a great product for a small audience that appreciates it. They will tell the others, which is magnitudes better than advertising. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.
Don't you dare tear up your man card, Jim. We need good men. And there are lots of them. And for what it's worth, the people piling on her were mostly women. Only a couple of men in the bunch. But then, it was women who flung witch accusations 400 years ago, too. It's never been about men vs. women. That's another little fib people use to get clicks. :)