17 Comments
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Victoria Crain's avatar

There are so many synchronicities happening right now…..how I ended up in your class, and the things you’re writing about. You DO make a difference, John! Thank you for being you and for following your heart to be a poet. 💖 Here’s another smile for you today, because you’re helping me to find my way. 😊

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John Roedel's avatar

❤️❤️

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Cheryl Ritenbaugh's avatar

Go write with John if you can. I just did. What a gift he gives of himself, opening us to see our own beauty. Thank you John!

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Zoe McMahon's avatar

Beautiful. It is an honor to be present with life as it is. Wonderful and terrible and average. So many are not fortunate enough or brave enough to really engage. You are. Bravo.

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Dave Stabler's avatar

John, your words usually strike a chord for me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. They remind me to be honest and kind with myself! I think of your poems and thoughts as a watermelon red sports car that I can admire from afar.

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Linda Decker's avatar

I needed to hear this today . . . thank you

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Sandy's avatar

Love this story and the poem!!!!

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Julie Desch's avatar

This brought tears to my eyes, and so here I am, subscribed for real. I've loved your poetry in my inbox for years, John. I share it often on FB.

BTW, I'm now in CA but I grew up in Grand Island (just down the road 3 hrs). Nebraska...the Good Life! I hope you grow to love your new home:-)

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Anna Walker's avatar

Thank you for this today...caregiving my mom with dementia during an existential crisis is heavy today, very heavy. This helped.

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Anita Lusk's avatar

"Beautiful fucking humanity!" - Those were the words that sprung into my head upon reading the words "your smile just saved my morning" for the first time yesterday. Even now on the third read, when I know it's coming, it still causes an emotional stir. But back to the first read... Tears had just rained down on my cheeks, and pondering on those six words and the prior set up - I felt into the transformative power of a small moment of exquisite synchronistic humanity. And tears filled with gratitude and awe poured forth, again. I felt into the power that we have to affect and transform another person's life. From that beautiful moment in Omaha, to my moment of gratitude and awe I felt here in Kailua, Hawaii, I felt humbled by the power of kindness, humility, shared moments of grace, and story telling. We never know when or how a very small act of kindness, like a smile, could powerfully and perhaps profoundly affect another person's life. Thank you for your beautiful writing, and the reminder. It was a gift!

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Poetry for sanity's avatar

I relate so deeply to ( gesturing everything) you wrote here. Is it syndrom of feeling watching being deeply in this world I wonder. Not even sparing oneself for scrutiny- like if the poems are not coming out it’s coming in - with Daggers… Thank you for being and writing, I feel less alone when I read your writings and poems. I feel that IS a big thing to have created🙏🏻❤️

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KDC's avatar

Even though I can't be in your class right now, John (taking care of Mom, post stroke) it's on my list! Your poetry and your open hearted prose, make my heart smile all the time. And then I'M smiling at my phone and wishing you could see it! We never do know what someone else is going through, and that smile - the simple act of actually SEEING someone, may be the thing that saves their life.

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Come Sit By Me's avatar

This made me smile..& I could write an unfunny piece to tell you why, yet, the levity here, well, it made me think Perhaps It Is Time to set aside some of this gloom.

Existential Crisis past middle age feel futile.

But I have a question..do you have another Substack account?Cause I could swear I upgraded to a site that contained your writing. If not..I will proceed to upgrade here.

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Gina Long's avatar

😊thank you for paying that moment forward! Your words today are the mirror of that stranger’s smile, personified. 💜♾️

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Lesley Smith's avatar

wow

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Joy In Flow's avatar

🥰

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Christie Bonner's avatar

Your writing and imagery feels so REAL and relatable. Thank you for putting your thoughts out there for others to hear!

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