The Smallest Gestures . . . .

Maybe it’s because I’m getting old and my T levels are on a natural decline.

Maybe it’s because I’m no longer so selfishly tunnel visioned focused on getting ahead and moving my family forward.

Maybe it’s because my self imposed social isolation lets me focus upon the faces of strangers when I’m out and about.

Maybe its because I’m actually finally understanding Wayne Dyer.

Who the fuck knows?

But I do try to put a small smile on the face of everyone I come into contact with.

I’m not always successful, but the wonderful thing about getting to my age, is that you lose your fear of embarrassing yourself, which makes being silly so much easier.

I try to do it in my novels, on my social media posts and even here in my blogs.

Because I do realize, in today’s world, how hard it is for each individual to get through their day.

We’ve all felt it at one time or another. The lighter shades are excused away as melancholy or “the blues.”

In my Celtic culture, that is why God created alcohol. An ephemeral panacea.

Some of us channel it into our creativity. Our art.

But for those suffering the darker shades of depression, there is no easy fix.

Ask Hemingway.

I’m not sure any of the medications provided by the pharmaceutical industry is any better at resolving the pain for those who suffer from depression. I hope it does. I pray it does.

I would assume talk therapy with a talented psychiatrist would offer some solace. Someone who listens and hears your daily pain. I’ve got Claire as my regular sounding board.

I’ve been also lucky enough to always have someone appear in my life at just the right moment, when the shades have gotten darker, to listen to my laments and say just the right thing to make that difference. Brighten my day. Each time its been a different person. And each one of them has been an Angel. Full stop.

Now, if you check out my blog photos over the years you’ll see that I spend most of my time donning Hoodies. Out here in God’s country, they are the most flexible way to stay warm. I wear them three seasons of the year. And only when it drops to Fahrenheit Zero do I think about putting on a jacket – over my hoodie. And usually, just double up my hoodies when it gets that cold.

So, I can never have enough hoodies. I am always on the look out for the next cool one.

As a writer, I love those hoodies that share a message.

I’ll do anything to get people to read. Even my tattoos are writings.

So, I recently came across the story behind a series of shirts and hoodies – the “Kindness Hoodie” that caught my eye.

“This kindness hoodie has its roots in the belief that small gestures can lead to significant change.”

https://dear-person-behind-me.com/blogs/news/dear-person-behind-me-hoodie-story?srsltid=AfmBOooN7mX14-fiz0UGJ07nke481RilWCmWfruWfM43ZCD0PYlppqOB

So, I bought one. It came a while ago, but I hadn’t needed to put it on here in NoCo, until yesterday morning, when I felt the first morning Autumn chill around Casa Claire.

As with anything I do these days, I like to memorialize it visually, so I snapped a photo of the front and back of my hoodie, at a time when I knew it would look its best, before the wear and tear of Green Acres Life and a thousand runs through the wash and dryer wore it down and started putting holes in it.

Jesus, you can see the ubiquitous Beagle Brothers fur already on it.

Again, this was my little gesture on Social Media to try and put a small smile on my readership’s face.

I got the expected ribbing – better not wear that in Da Bronx – comments, which in themselves is a great way to get people laughing. And a lot of people asked where they can get them. And that is cool.

Definitely a cause we should all get behind.

But one particular comment caught my eye this morning. It was from a woman I have known for many years, who has observed my journey as a writer, and is just one fantastic and fun person to interact with. She always brings a smile to my face.

“As someone who fought postpartum depression and suicide I love you for supporting us and wearing that. While I am much better now, it really does take a community to help people like that. And i still get emotional when I see people wear/do things that basically say ‘I see you’.

So thanks for the support. “

Well, let me share that I had no idea of this one person’s story, and quite honestly I am proud of her transparency. Takes a lot of courage and strength to share the darkness.

And I’d be lying if I didn’t share that reading that comment brought tears to my eyes. I’m tearing up as I write this. Must be low T.

So, my dear N, if you are reading this, let me thank you for your small gesture. It means the world to me that something so simple on my part brought you any joy. I’ll see you around.

And for the rest of my fine, five readers on this tenacious Monday, when everyone feels at least a little blue, let us all go out there and make those small gestures. Try to steal that smile from a stranger.

Because you just never know when your silliest gesture may make a difference to the one person who needed to experience it at that moment. Maybe that person standing behind you in the check out line.

And with that thought, no matter what else we get up to, let us make today a great one.