Thank you, Everyone!

I want to confess something. I've had quite an emotional rollercoaster of a week. Internally, that inner voice in me has been kicking my butt for past mistakes, horrible actions and bad decisions. This is a regular occurrence, but this week I felt it more. Everyday I am learning more about myself and the way I have been and the way I want to be, but it's been quite a struggle at times.

Writing definitely helps. Like more than I ever thought possible (which is weird because, I am drawn to writing that comes from deep places within). That's why I guess I write a ton of stuff every week. I am working on me and trying everyday to be a better version of me, but I realised a few things, or let's say they became more pominent in my mind over the last week or so. And it was tough. I am fine and good though.

Writing wise and Vocal wise, I have been quite fortunate recently - with Top Stories and a lot of milestones achieved. Which does help counter the more negative aspects of how I am feeling. It also holds me accountable and shows me where I am failing can be improved upon.

One thing that helped, aside from my wife coming home from her trip to visit her mum (glad to have her back!), is you lot. I am talking to each and everyone of you that has interacted with me, read my stuff, liked my stuff, commented some truly lovely things about it. Even people who haven't, who have written some amazing things that I have had the priviledge of reading. This has all helped a great deal too.

That's what makes it worth writing on Vocal sometimes, whether I get 1 comment or 21 comments. I appreciate every single last one of them. I appreciate all the hard work that goes into other people's work and I am still trying to balance out working on my own stuff and being a good supporter. There is always room for improvement, but I think we all have that in common,

A case in point, particularly this week is just the outpouring of awesome poems by people as part of the unofficial challenge I set with Donna Renee! The reason why there has been an influx of poems about everyone's most hated food and beverages. For a full list of this beautiful outpuring of madness you can find all the entries on Donna's inaugural entry that started it all and rightly got awarded Top Story here:

This morning when I looked at Vocal, I saw that even more people had gotten involved in the hilarious and creative insanity. I applaud everyone and while I may not have read and commented on them all yet, I will get to that!

This gave me a big smile. Not quite as big a smile as when my wife rolled up in front of our house last night. But, you know...close second? Sorry, guys!

I love the fact that people just joined in...because...fun...because giggles because why the hell not?

I published one of my most open hearted and revealing poems yesterday while the madness was going on, and the silliness (and brilliance, let's not forget that many of these poems are stone cold classics that every single person should be proud of) kinda helped make it a little easier to sneak that one out. So, I'm grateful for that.

This...this is why I am going to keep doing the Vocal Deep Cuts (thank you Vocal for making that Top Story, as it means more people will get to see the awesome poems and pieces featured) thing...this is why I will always make time to read the incredible amount of great stuff that is produced and published by writers on this platform every single day. This is why I am thankful to you all.

So...yeah...everyone keep doing what you're doing!

Mumble over.

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Thanks for reading!