The Journey Of A Thousand Posts

Today is our wedding anniversary {23 years!} and my birthday.

It's also a milestone marker at the Corner.
I've had so much fun this week, 

gathering ideas as we counted down to today.

I'm grateful that you'd stop by so we could celebrate

1000 posts together!

I started the blog three summers ago as a way to feel 

{and share} more positivity and peace.

And guess what? 

It worked.

This journey of a thousand posts began

with just a few (if any) visits per day ... 

my first post was a story I'd written years earlier called

Monte's Ministry ...

and I wondered if anyone would even want to read my ramblings.

I wasn't sure, but I kept writing.

Because even if no one was reading, it felt good to inspire.

Then, a week after I started the blog,

 I got my first comment, on a post called That Doll ...

and then another, and another, and another.

And just yesterday, almost 5000 kind comments later ...

the Visits and Views counter at the Corner rested at nearly 700,000.

What a blessing this journey has been.

Day by day. Step by Step.

A win-win, because I find it fascinating to be on the lookout for something to share every day. 

There's always something uplifting and good,

even on the darkest of days,

if you look hard enough, with intention.

I'm met so many incredible people on

my journey of a thousand posts.

I've been positively 

inspired and impacted by people like Marielle,

who got creative and used 1000 Cranes to spread kindness:

Yep, Marielle made them by herself ... for strangers ... 
to show kindness ... 

and to let people know that someone cares, 
that she cares.

Read all about her experience at Magical Day Dream {here}.
I recently emailed Marielle and she kindly agreed to an interview:

1.  You've shared your story so eloquently on your blog and on that video clip. Can you summarize your experience in three words?

Challenging, connecting, empowering

2. Can you share one specific example of how one of your Cranes positively impacted someone?

While I was spreading paper cranes around my block, I noticed a man approaching. He was walking a huge, angry looking dog. The guy wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his body was covered in tattoos. His eyes were bloodshed and for a moment I hesitated whether I should give him a crane or not. He looked somewhat unpredictable. I took a deep breath and reached my arm out to him, a paper crane in my hand. This guy deserved some love too. I walked on.

Twenty minutes later and two blocks further, I see someone approaching me from the corner of my eye on a bike in high speed. I turned my head and realised it was that guy. He stopped right in front of me by suddenly forcing his brakes and opened his hand. In his hand was a small plastic bag with a dried, green herbal substance: weed. For me. He started to explain that I made his day and that he was so happy and wanted to offer me something in return. I ended up politely declining his generous and heartfelt gesture, but thanked him anyway. He went through all the trouble of going after me and finding me, just to share a gift and his appreciation with me. To me this proves that you really don’t know how much a person might need or appreciate a gesture of kindness. Can you imagine that the guy who I nearly didn’t give a crane would be most happy about receiving one. 

3.  Have you always been kindhearted, or is this something that has evolved through your experiences?

I think kindness is something that you develop over many years. In part it is shaped by your upbringing, your character and your experiences. But there is an pro-active part too; the part that you choose daily. It’s the part that is hard and challenging. True kindheartedness goes beyond your comfort zone. You sacrifice part of your time, energy, comfort, ego or whatever it is, to reach out to others, and try to make their lives a tiny bit better. People often have big plans to change the world and contribute in some way. Then they never get to it. You need to realize that the only way for big change to happen is to start where you are. It’s not in the grand, heroic events. Change is in many tiny actions that break your everyday routine.

4.  What is your hope for our future?

I am hopeful about the changes that are happening in our world. I feel that kindness and playfulness are trends that are spreading. Modern technology has brought us possibilities that past generations never had. My hope is that people all around the globe search for the meaning within these technologies and use them to the best they can. Take the Internet. The fact that I am able to share my paper crane story with likeminded souls for example, is something that makes me really excited.

5.  What's next for you?

Who knows. I am still in the process of exploring my passions and interests. I’m trying to make sense of how to use my talents to inspire others. Although I still have a lot to discover, I do think that the direction of my creative endeavors is a positive and promising one. I am currently exploring ways of combining kindness and business somehow. The kindness kit I recently designed is a first manifestation of that.

Click the graphic to read all about Marielle's Creative Kindness Month

Find a tutorial to make a paper crane {here}.

Thank you, Marielle, for stopping by the Corner 

to celebrate and spread some sunshine!

And thank you, dear reader,
for your 'presents' alongside of me on this journey of 1000 posts.
I am grateful for every comment,
every kind thought,
every affirmation,
every thank you,
every critique,
every challenge,
every reflection,
every one of you.

Be blessed as we launch into
the next one thousand posts.

And please join Marielle and me in finding ways
to pay it forward, to do something caring every day 
and be a part of the kindness cure.