A Thank You and Some Thoughts

Overwhelmed and touched by your outpouring of love and support.

Dear Friends,

I have been overwhelmed and touched by the outpouring of love and support I have received over the last week, whether through personal messages, comments on my farewell post at Intellectual Takeout, or signups for my new Substack. Thank you for your encouragement!

I am taking a bit of a breather for a few weeks, and then will be writing regularly for The Epoch Times. I intend to republish those articles here on my Substack alongside other original pieces I write, as well as a few personal updates and some random musings.

Speaking of which, here is one little random musing via a poem I came across the other day in Streams in the Desert:

When all our hopes are gone,
’Tis well our hands must keep toiling on
For others’ sake:
For strength to bear is found in duty done;
And he is best indeed who learns to make
The joy of others cure his own heartache.

It’s often so easy to let ourselves be swallowed up in the cares and troubles of this world, whether on the smaller personal level or the broader national or world level. If you’re like me, it’s easy to want to just pull the covers over our heads and forget about everything.

But that’s not the right course of action, for such a response focuses on self and is exactly the course that will lead to more defeat instead of victory, not only for ourselves, but also in the fight for truth and right. Pressing on—even in the little duties of life—working for others, rejoicing in their happiness, even when we ourselves are sad, and in general, trying to lift others up, is really the secret to bringing joy to our own lives.

May each one of us choose this day to bathe any wounds or disappointments or fears we may have in the balm that is found in reaching out and serving others rather than focusing on ourselves.

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