An Honor to Be Nominated
A pleasure to nominate others
Random Conversations is a newsletter for those who believe in the power of a positive perspective and the joy it brings. It champions intentionally honoring ways of being and promotes the belief that we can change our world, one interaction at a time. Choose the change wisely.
Over the weekend, I was introduced to the Sunshine Blogger Award – and in the most surprising and joyous way. Sheila Dembowski, who writes the Kindness Boomerang Newsletter, nominated eleven writers for this award, which she had just received. I am incredibly honored to be one of them. Thank you, Sheila – you have touched me deeply with this!
The Sunshine Blogger Award
This is a peer-recognition award given by bloggers to other bloggers who are deemed to be creative, positive, and inspiring.
In accepting this award, nominees are asked to nominate eleven writers, give them questions to answer, and respond to the questions we received from the writer who nominated us.
I love how the nomination process works! Each of us has the opportunity to touch the lives and support the work of up to eleven writers by nominating them for the award. In doing so, writing that is creative, positive and inspiring gets a boost and an expanded audience – rays of sunshine, illuminating and amplifying the reach of positivity!
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what the sunflowers do." — Helen Keller
My Nominees
In no order whatsoever, I am nominating the eleven writers below. I’m including a short description, something not required in the process, in the hope it will encourage readers to view their work.
To the writers who choose to accept my nomination, information for you is listed further down this post.
Jamie Wallace starts our week with a Monday Moxie music-inspired message, and builds on it the following Thursday to explore her place (and ours) in a chaotic world.
Heidi Lescanec is the founder of the Pink Zones. She explores and shares inspiring information that enables women to thrive at all ages.
Rhaine Della Bosca creates beautiful art and helps people heal in a profound, positive way.
Nan Tepper writes the most engaging memoir posts, sharing her path to discover and embrace self-love and acceptance.
Mike Sowden mixes his humor and insatiable curiosity to joyfully share examples of wonder and awe.
Alexander Verbeek curates a list of positive news from around the world, offering “hope over despair” to start each day. His photography is also a treat.
Sandra Pawula shares Buddhist teachings and mindfulness techniques to work through life’s issues and achieve inner peace.
Paulette Bodeman shares tantric yoga wisdom and more to navigate the “messiness” of life.
Rona Maynard beautifully writes about all things amazing. It’s right there in the name of her publication, The Amazement Seeker.
Rena writes short inspiring posts in verse.
Sue Ferrera is a gentle soul who shares one of her core beliefs as, “We all deserve to be happy.” Currently, her happiness is overflowing as a new grandmother. The love is infectious.
Sheila’s Questions – My Responses
My responses to the questions Sheila posed are below.
What do you write about? I write about intentionally honoring interactions and ways of being.
Why? I grew up in a family that used words to belittle and demean. I feel called to champion life-affirming ways to communicate and share this world together.
What’s something you believe deeply, even if it’s unpopular? Our interactions create ripple effects that spread far and wide, ultimately bringing change to our world. It’s important to choose the change wisely.
What do you long for right now? I am starting to long for a relationship. It’s been over twenty years since my divorce, and I think I’m finally ready to share my life with someone again.
What’s a small ritual that keeps you grounded? I see myself as “a drop of consciousness, in the ocean of infinite consciousness” – and acknowledge and feel that “I am part of All That Is, and All That Is is part of me.” In this beautiful and peaceful state, I breathe with the Universe. It is blissful!
When do you feel most alive? Sharing anything and everything with my friends – especially over a delicious meal.
What’s a truth you’re still learning to live with? The lines on my face will no longer go away with a good night’s sleep.
What do you want to be remembered for? Being a good friend. There are so many layers involved with that statement, and it goes well beyond my network of friends. I treat most everyone as if they are a friend – even if I just met them.
Who are you when you’re not creating or working? There is just one me – and that is who I am when I work as a corporate training facilitator, when I write, and as I live my personal life.
What was your favorite hobby as a child? Curling up with a good book.
What is your favorite hobby now? Curling up with a good book.
Where is the most exotic place you’ve ever travelled to? Pakistan. China and Thailand were also exotic, but I spent longer in Pakistan and had much more interaction with people living there.
Where is a place you hope to travel to? There are so many! I long to go back to Italy - way too many years have passed since I was there. I’d love to explore more of Asia – a return to China and Thailand, and new explorations in Japan, Vietnam and India. I’ve always wanted to go to Egypt and Morocco – and have not yet come even close to that region.
If you could have a conversation with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? William Shakespeare. I want to know if he was the sole writer of all his work or if Christopher Marlowe had a hand in it. Well, no. I would prefer to be with my friend Bobby. He left this world almost twenty years ago and I would love to laugh with him again in person!
Who is your favorite musician? Ludovico Einaudi - especially so after seeing him perform live in NYC a few years ago. I find his music to be otherworldly.
What is your favorite movie? I don’t know if I have a favorite, but there are two movies I saw multiple times in the theater over a short period of time in the early 80s – Gandhi and Amadeus. They are definitely in what I’m sure is a group of favorites.
Who is your favorite writer? I have an eclectic list of favorite writers across a few genres. I periodically return to late 19th century authors, and Charles Dickens is my favorite. In the fantasy world, it’s JRR Tolkien, and in espionage, John le Carré – both in my reading past but they stay with me. My contemporary favorites are Jhumpa Lahiri and Zadie Smith – each new book of theirs is immediately in my hand to read.
A Reflection
It has been a heartening experience to know Sheila found my writing to be worthy of this award. I often doubt myself, especially when engagement is low. This has shown me that wonderful surprises can come from what appears to be silence.
It fills my heart with joy to be a part of a process that promotes creative, positive, and inspiring writing – and to highlight the writing of others who share their own unique rays of sunshine. I hope you will explore the publications of the eleven writers I nominated and enjoy their distinct style and perspective.
Note To My Nominees
To accept my nomination, and I hope you will, the award rules are listed below along with my questions for you. Thank you for your beautiful writing!
The Sunshine Blogger Award Rules:
Display the Award’s official logo somewhere on your blog.
Thank the person who nominated you.
Provide a link to your nominator’s blog.
Answer your nominator’s questions.
Nominate up to 11 bloggers.
Questions for You:
What do you enjoy most about writing on Substack?
Has a reader’s comment, or the theme of multiple comments, stood out for you in some way?
What place in the world, near or far, makes your heart smile just thinking of it?
What wisdom did you learn from a guide or mentor that has positively impacted your life?
What have you learned from helping others?
Do you have a favorite book or book genre?
What inspires you?
What brings you joy?
What makes you laugh?
What is a “good day” for you?
What is the smallest step we can take right here, right now, to experience more joy, wonder and awe in our lives?
Cathy! Congrats and THANK YOU! You doll, you. I'm going to check out the unfamiliar publications, but you've hit on a lot of newsletters I love, too. The support going back and forth on Substack continues to make my day, just about every day. Generosity of spirit is one of the most important things that grow our readership here, and more importantly, boost morale and provide needed hope, that indeed, the world is a very good place in ways we dare not forget in these weird and scary times. Lots of love, my friend! xo
What a lovely idea, and what a kindness to include me in your list, Cathy! I want to nominate you right back, but I expect that's not allowed. Still - you definitely bring sunshine into my day! Loved reading your answers to the questions. I love that your hobby as a child and as an adult is the same. Fabulous.