Photo: D. Paul Graham, Pony Sunrise Self Portrait, circa 2020

“Monday 5 Things”™….. Things, Lines, Words, & Thanks …..

Yesterday was an important anniversary for me. I quietly celebrated 522 weeks, 2,610 things, over 17,000 lines, and almost 217,000 words. Innumerable hours of thinking, countless cups of coffee, and copious amounts of wine, single malt scotch or bourbon have all been part of the process. The latter libations were consumed in the evenings, often trying to push through, climb over, or wander around writer’s block that I have experienced from time to time. Yesterday, Monday 5 Things marked its 10^th year of publication. Ten years of interloping on conversations of others. Ten years of observing the things and people around me. Ten years of wanting to understand people on a deeper level. Ten years of sharing with you the thoughts that roam in the space, some might say the vacuum, between my ears. Some weeks were bright from mountain peak experiences in life; other weeks were dark and vulnerable from life’s valleys.  Each week, I hoped there was something in those thoughts that encouraged, challenged, uplifted, and gave you some perspective on a world in flux. As we enter this week of Thanksgiving, today M5T gives thanks to you, my fellow M5Ters, for the gifts you have given me this past decade.

1.Gifts of Connection.

Over the past 10 years, you have given the gift of connection. Whether through emojis, public comments and private messages, you have shared your thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives with M5T. Your willingness to share has impacted not only me but other M5Ters. Many of us have never met and perhaps will only meet here on Monday’s, but we all connect here for a but a moment at the start of each week. Thank you for the gift of connection in an increasingly isolated world.

2. Gifts of Opportunity.

Your gift of opportunity by coming back each week to M5T has allowed me to see the world differently, to treasure your contributions, to think through and be bold in my beliefs, passions, and faith, and to live a richer life. You have reinforced that opportunities are available wherever we may be. I look for M5T opportunities every day, in every interaction, every person, and everything that crosses my path. I am thankful that four years ago, Michael Brooks at South Magazine gave me the opportunity to share M5T digitally with his audience, without once questioning the content or direction of M5T. And I am inordinately thankful for the opportunity to share M5T with each of you that comes here each week.

3. Gift of a Voice.

I have shared this with you in previous weeks over the years, but I am so very thankful for your gift of allowing me to have a voice with you. M5T is a means of sharing with you what is important to me; the simplest of joys in life; at other times revealing, even if just a glimpse of the dark nights of my soul; of my success and my failures; of wants, desires, dreams and needs; of stumbling in life and of growing. A voice to share observations of experiences and people that have amused, saddened, challenged, or caused me to marvel at. Thank you all for being a part of this voice, of this dialogue.

4. Gift of Community.

Your gift of being a part of the M5T community has shown me that we are all a part of something greater than ourselves. Your interest in M5T has been a gift of connection, inspiration, support, and expanded knowledge. You have given me fresh perspectives, and challenges. You have touched my heart with your shared posts of joy or sorrow, and of affirmation, and confirmation. That you have been moved by the words on a screen has impacted me more than I can express to you. Some of your messages have prompted side-splitting laughter in me; from other private messages, I have wept with you in your pain and have prayed for you with what you have shared. Thank you for all the tremendous gift of being a part of this M5T community.

5. Gift of Your Time.

Understanding the value of time is of great importance and focus for me. Because of that perspective, I am honored that so many of you take time out of your day to read M5T and then take time to respond with comments in those weeks that move or touch you in some way. Because our time is limited to the same number of seconds, minutes, and hours each day, I am taking the time to think through what M5T will look like for 2022 and beyond. Thank you all so very much.

Here’s a most humble thank you to all of you, my fellow M5T’ers on this 10^th anniversary of something that in a small way brings us all together on a Monday morning. And on this week, I wish you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving!

© 2021 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

D. Paul Graham is passionate about people, culture, photography and business. He has embraced his wanderlust with his travels around the globe and is at peace with his need for spirited drives in all things automotive.

You can find M5T each Monday here on www.southmag.com and by friending D. Paul Graham on Facebook. Paul is also a contributing photographer to South Magazine. His photographic work can be found on Instagram @dpgraham and at www.imageGRAHAM.com . Your feedback is always welcome. Email Paul at dpg@imagegraham.com