Most of the time, our “A Reason to Smile” installments at Steady feature a musical performance. And we will get to one here in a bit. But first we want to thank all of you for bringing an amazing wave of positivity and restorative energy in response to a recent post. We imagine this led to a significant number of smiles and likely some misty eyes as well.
A few days back we sent out a simple message that we hoped might bring comfort to the Steady community. When we asked, “Hello. How Are You?”, we expected some supportive dialogue in the comments section, but we were not prepared for what followed.
The outpouring of responses, across a wide range of emotions and sentiments, is something to behold. We wish we could respond to each and every one of you individually, but the hundreds of comments make that impossible. So we wanted to take a moment here to acknowledge the heartfelt sensitivity and encouraging support of your participation.
For those who are suffering, let us pray for healing. For those who are mourning, let us send our condolences. And for those who appreciate their good fortune, let us revel in their happiness. Let us cheer on fresh starts. Let us encourage an eagerness to help others. Let us champion resilience.
Many of you wrote that you were thankful to be able to enter into this dialogue with others in the community. And this perspective highlights another key point that came out of your sharings and discussions: We further strengthen ourselves when we express gratitude to those reaching out to us in a spirit of common humanity.
In searching for a song fitting for this spirit of thankfulness, we decided on “Thank You” by the British singer and songwriter Dido. It is a classic, and for good reason. The music and lyrics fit our moment particularly well — a joyful yet soulful celebration of helping each other through difficult times. We thought the acoustic version we share below is particularly poignant.
Finally, if you are enjoying the Steady community, please let other friends and family members know about it. We are always eager to welcome new voices and participants. Thank you.
Note: We’re deeply thankful for the Steady community. If you aren’t already a member, please consider subscribing. Both free and paid options are available.
It is so helpful to be in the company of people who care about our Democracy, the truth, equality, etc. It can be so hard to remain hopeful for the future world our adult children and grandchildren are inheriting from us. I appreciate the work you and Elliot do, Mr. Rather. More than you will ever know. Stay well.
Thank you for all the articles connecting me (living in a rural SC community) with well-balanced and enlightening essays which remind me that millions of Americans are NOT right-wing conspiracy-theory-believers and/or so-called evangelical Christians. As a life-long (74+ years) Christian struggling to make sense of the current political climate, I also greatly appreciate your efforts to remind us to avoid demonizing those whose positions we find repugnant. Soldier on!