1st Steemiversary - A year of hard lessons, heartache, and healing!
In the grand scheme of time, one year is nothing. And then again... a lot can happen in 5 minutes.
In my original introduction post, I talked about writing my first serial e-novel, Terra Damnata, Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series, about learning languages, and traveling the world. I even included a recipe for my favorite dip — learned from a shipmate when I was in the Navy. When I started Steeming, I had one vision of how the year would go. The reality was very different.
Hard Lessons
- If you are stretched too thin by myriad obligations, it is okay to refuse additional projects. Simply say, 'No, I cannot currently work on that.' If things change in the future, you can always make contact and check if the project is still looking for help. If it is and you're free, great. If not, no worries, another project will appear.
- Some people are out for themselves. You've heard the saying, "Actions speak louder than words." It is true. Listen to the words and watch the actions. Ask yourself if these are congruent. If they aren't, then tread carefully.
- Your health is important. Days off are important. Rest is important. Don't let other people take away your days off. You cannot heal if you never have time off. Those people mentioned in #2 will let you work yourself into an early grave.
- Life is precious. Do what you can to enjoy every sunrise and sunset, to feel the breeze, to experience the world. You have one life. Live it.
Heartache
Gruesome and inexplicable things can happen to us and to the people we care about. Some times of they die of natural causes, occasionally unnatural. No matter how they've died, the loss of their energy, their spirit has been a weight on my heart. One moment here, the next moment gone. It is Don Henley's words:
And in these days
When darkness falls early
And people rush home
To the ones they love
You better take a fool's advice
And take care of your own
One day they're here
Next day they're gone
— A New York Minute
Between 2008 and 2012, I lost nearly 40 friends and family members. I worked in the casinos and I went to college in a daze. Some how, I graduated. Even with that much loss behind me, I was not prepared for this last year. It has been overwhelmingly painful. In July of 2016, I lost a dear friend to a long time battle with cancer. Then, in November of 2016 my service dog of 10 years, Sampson, passed away from complications with seizures. And, in February of 2017, I was knocked to my knees by the news that one of my friend's had been brutally murdered. She left behind a 1 year old daughter.
Healing
I have very bad endometriosis which causes me to be incapacitated for about 7 to 10 days out of every month. Top that off with chronic tinnitus and you end up with significant amounts of pain, discomfort, nausea, and dizziness. The tinnitus is dealt with through masking therapy (low volume music) which is supposed to disguise the ringing, but actually just adds more noise. For these two medical issues, there are no cures. And, no real idea as to what causes them.
But, the heart ache of loss. That has a cause. And, believe it or not, it has a cure. That may seem counterintuitive, but it is one of the easiest hard things or hardest easy things, if you prefer. Are you ready? Take a moment if you're not. Okay, deep breath.
Love.
If you allow loss to bury you under its weight, you risk losing the best parts of yourself. Love, compassion, empathy — these are the emotions that help us to spread positivity throughout the world. I know it is easier said than done. I've seen and experienced the ramifications of the bad in this world. I also know that sometimes, one person can say or do something that changes the world for another. That kind word or deed can come at precisely the right moment for someone else.
And Now
For the time being, I'm working on two SteemIt projects. The first is a labor of love, a series I'm calling Congressional Carnival read S1E3.1. In it I'm examining the case against two bitcoin traders, Randall and Michael Lord, who've been sent to jail for cryptotrading. The second is part of a long term quest to post over 20 years of poety and flash fiction.
I hope you'll continue with me on this Steemian's journey toward a 2nd Steemiversary.
![finleyexp 2.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmXQfo8sxqkSHMKwaEk9ZbV25soSDQSNAWFztq1sjFgVu1/finleyexp%202.jpg)
Twitter: mfinley80
SteemIt Intro: What's Up, STEEMIT?! I'm Monique Finley, a Blogger, Poet, and Author of the Free E-Serial: Terra Damnata!
Serial Novel: Terra Damnata, Book 1 of The Pu'Shing Bhu'Tons Series
Welcome to Steemit @finleyexp, I have upvoted and sent you a tip. Check my blogs if you are looking for tips on how to earn more Steem and SBD.
welcome Finleyexp to Steemit! Glad to see you. I hope you enjoy your time here, its a great community :) Nice post, i will follow your account, please follow me .
Happy Steemiversary, my friend! I'm sorry to hear about what you went through :( But, I believe that we emerge as better people after terrible experiences, and I just know that you will be able to honor the ones you have lost by carrying their souls with you as you journey forward. It must be hard losing so many people in a short span of time, but I know you'll power through it.
I like how you put it, one year is nothing in the grand scheme of things but a lot can happen in a matter of minutes. It's all about perspective, and we don't have to bend to the viewpoint of others. Those are great lessons you pointed out, and I agree with all of them, from experience. Life should take precedence every time, and compassion is key to resolve any conflicts.
Now that you're back, I have faith that you will get back on track in no time. I apologize if I spaced with the Congressional Circus, I'll view them in a bit. I hope you get your Terra Damnata series and the 20-year poetry under way soon :D
Thank you @jedau! You are much appreciated. We can definitely emerge as better, more knowledgeable, hopefully more compassionate people after ordeals. We don't feel the losses so deeply if we don't care. So, it's hard and painful, sad that the world has lost, and yet as you said, they're now on the journey with me a part of my heart.
Please take your time. This is the blockchain, my friend, they're not going any where! :D Slow and steady. I'll get caught up. Right now, Terra Damnata is on the website I built for it. I'm looking at options for porting it over or for embedding steemit into the blog. Haven't quite figured out the best route there, in time.
It seems you've been, busy. I'll catch you in the next comment ;)
I think you could just make a new post about it here. Just mention that you pasted it from your website so that you can avoid the ire of Steem Cleaners :) Seeing it all in one place would bring it some spotlight.
I think it would be received well here. Or, at least, I hope. Everything in time. :P
I love the work that steemcleaners and cheetah bot do. Although, I've seen cheetah links appear on templates for contests, etc., I don't mind that. I always check the cheetah link and use it to decide if someone's stolen work. "I flag thieves!"
I know it would. Way better than any of the work I put out there for sure! :D
Thanks for the compliment, but don't knock you, you're better than you think!
A new Steemian :-) hello I hope you enjoy your time here, its a great community ! Nice post, wish you much luck! I Have upvoted and will follow your account. Don't hesitate to contact or follow me at any time :-) See you around @tradewonk