medKNITation: Can I ask you a question?
Your answers are everything! Plus: kindness in the news, and more thoughts woven together
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At last week’s medKNITation session, I was humbled and honored to hear that my work has been helpful to some of you, and has even led to the sharing of kindness and positivity. This was a huge gift for me, and it renewed my commitment to being here, doing what I do.
One of the reasons I wanted to come to this platform is to be in closer contact with people who have gravitated toward what I do. Writers work in a vacuum and have to wait long periods of time to hear what readers think. Now I can write something and hear back in the same week, the same day, sometimes minutes after I’ve posted.
This week, Substack introduced reader polls, giving me a way to learn more about you—what brought you here, what you like, what you’d like more of, where we should go from here. This modern method of divination is a lot more reliable than asking my Tarot cards, especially with Norman doing the reading. (All he sees is “Give the cats more food.”) This will help me serve you better, because that’s what I’m here for! So, without further ado…can I ask you some questions?
First, how did you find me?
If you found me through one of my books, which one?
Here’s another question:
And this:
Looking into the future, which offerings are you most excited about?
And finally:
Thank you so much for your answers! Is there something else you’d like to see in this newsletter? More of something I’m already offering? A different way of doing things here? Please leave a comment—I’d love to hear form you!
Follow-up: A bit more on this week’s Journal Magic prompt
I did say that this week’s prompt in our Journal Magic journaling program might be one of the most challenging. Writing about honoring your body—even thinking that way—could be difficult for those working with chronic illness and injury.
We may not have a choice about having to deal with physical ailments in our lives, but we do have a choice in how we deal with them. My teacher Kali spoke of the “mind-body,” because the two are not two; they are one, and one affects the other. In times of physical issues, I’ve tried my best to practice compassion and kindness toward my body, which also helps my mind. This doesn’t mean I haven’t felt pain; it means I haven’t felt mental as well as physical pain. I’ve found it comforting to speak in a soothing way to my body. (If you want examples, read any book by Thich Nhat Hanh. His gentle tone is a language of its own, and one well worth learning.)
Having been in conflict with my body, I find kindness and compassion helps me feel better, in many ways. I hope this is helpful.
Radical Acts of Kindness
The news that renews. This week:
A woman adopted a 20 year-old cat so he wouldn’t have to live out his days in a cage. 1
Another woman adopted a 20 year-old cat, who definitely wasn’t acting like a senior.
Another woman adopted this 20 year-old kitty who’d been out on the street.
And, in related news, a 20 year-old cat was adopted by a 101 year-old woman.
Could someone please get me a tissue? The kindness! I don’t know if any of these cats reads Tarot cards, but I wouldn’t be surprised…
Have you heard news about kindness, or something that made you smile? Tell me about it and I’ll share it. Email me at info@suzancolon.net.
That’s all for this week, friends. Thank you for your responses to the readers’ poll questions, and I wish you all a peaceful, joyful weekend!
xo,
Suzan
Is there something you’d like to see more of in this newsletter that I didn’t cover in the questions? Please let me know, and tell me what you think of this week’s newsletter!
This post is free to all. Please share with a friend!
A dear friend of mine has post COVID syndrome and her body and energy are unreliable. She can’t work, she can’t do much at all but rest on her couch or in bed. When she goes for a walk, she needs someone to hold on to.
She doesn’t have a partner, so she can feel lonely at times.
It’s so very inspiring to see how kindness helps her. Not only kindness from others (for example, she hates to cook and I brought her a few portions of home cooked meal; an easy thing for me, and huge for her), but especially kindness to herself and her body.
It may be unreliable but she’s managing. And so she keeps reminding herself that she needs self care more than ever. Also when she gets inside her head too much and start to feel depressed or angry or whatever feelings come up when you’re alone and sick. Those are the moments she needs self care most, and it’s inspiring to see how she keeps learning to accept and embrace her situation and her body. Kindness!
Not sure about the journaling , though I do it personally nothing in any other format. Just able to comment occasionally. My plate is fuller than I thought. My knitting coincides with the 100 day project but will take considerably longer. Summertime and gardens may slow this down considerably . I am enjoying Yoga Mind as a reading & break . My yoga attempted daily is a constant joy , but a farm /animals set priorities without consideration , going with the flow , no teeth nashing anymore LOL😉🧘♂️