This morning, I’m feeling down. I could blame a number on a screen: views, followers, likes, or whatever a platform has decided to count today. But I don’t want those numbers deciding whether I’ve had a good day.
I’m 70. I’ve worked hard, changed careers, raised myself through difficult times, and found new things to learn long after anyone might have expected me to slow down. Now I’m writing stories, making little films, and following ideas just to see where they lead. That is already something to celebrate.
Of course I’m pleased when someone watches a video or enjoys a story. I love knowing my work reached another person. But a quiet response doesn’t make the hours I spent creating worthless. I still laughed at Bad Doll’s latest mischief. I still discovered a sentence I liked. I still learned how to make a scene work a little better.
Today, I want to give my attention to things I can feel rather than count. I want to create something because it interests me. I want to go outside, notice what’s growing, and let my body move at its own pace. I want to take care of my health with patience. I want to explore, whether that means visiting a new place or trying an unfamiliar idea at my desk.
Feeling down may stay with me for a while. That’s all right. I can make a cup of tea, step away from the screen, and begin again gently.
A platform can count my followers. It cannot measure the pleasure of making something, the courage it takes to keep learning, or the peace of an ordinary, healthy day. Those are the things I want more of.
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