What is this blog all about? I write stories, I share stories, I read stories. I observe the little things and write little things about them – there is something very uplifting about examining the small and everyday and finding the joy in them. So, this blog is not just about my stories, it’s about yours too. Let me explain. The idea came one day while I was cycling back from school in the rain. We’d had a tough year: our car had finally turned up its toes and our house is a good hour’s walk away from my daughter’s school. My Mum sent me a fiver in the post for coffee and cake (she has a wise heart when it comes to the small things). This is what happened:
- We got strong cycling to and from school – my daughter and I sharing both purpose and conversation as we peddled.
- I saw spring close up and personal.
- I lost weight and gained confidence.
- I chatted to people I met along the riverpath and inspired other parents at my daughter’s school to cycle as well.
- The school, not able to sit by and watch us struggle any longer, sent a car to pick her up every morning – I felt touched and warmed by their kindness.
- Because of my increased fitness, I’ve recently taken up running as well and I hope to do a 5K run for my friend’s charity in the autumn.
Most of all, I learned the importance of sharing: that everyone has their own problems to deal with but no one is without reach of the small things. My Mum, too far away to help with transport and without enough resources to finance another car, gave me the joy of cake to help me cope. So, back to the morning I cycled home in the rain. I stopped under a huge, wide chestnut tree in the park and watched the drips cascading over the new leaves to wash the floor. My legs were feeling tight from exertion but they felt strong – the cycling had reminded me that I have an able body. The riverbank beside me was bursting with life and I felt lucky to have watched, over the previous weeks, this resplendent tree bud and unfurl. Like the tree, I had revealed my summer self and it had only taken one broken car and some unpleasant circumstances to bring it about.
What does this have to do with my blog? I can’t have been the only person this has ever happened to. There must be as many uplifting stories out there as there are people. My mum writes inspiring stories on pieces of paper and shares them with people she meets and it’s like she’s handing out small, rare gifts.
Happiness is a story shared This site is not just about me, it’s about the stories I find in the people I spend my time with: my Mum, the seasoned women at my craft group, my fairy-headed daughter. So if you read something that alters the axis of your world, or just adjusts the course of your day, share it on. You don’t know who will feel much better for having read it.
Join in Do you have a story or a thought to share? Drop me a line on my Smashing to Hear From You page and it may appear with the Guest Posts. There are just a few things to remember:
- Keep it clean and play nicely. If you’re abusive, I’ll dump you like third period French.
- Make it your own. Please don’t pass someone else’s work off as your own (unless you credit it properly).
- Be different, be yourself, be honest. That doesn’t mean that you can’t adopt an alter-ego if you want to.
- Keep it short. I’ll be posting no novels here (roughly around 500 words)
- And don’t be disappointed if your post doesn’t appear straight away – it may take me a while to sift through submissions and some pieces of writing, although deeply and profoundly inspired, might not fit the tone of the site at this moment.
- This is a work in progress. The site will evolve, the project will take it’s own path, who knows where it will lead (somewhere good I hope!).
And if you feel like commenting on an existing post, comment away. I love hearing readers’ responses. It’s what makes blogging fun.