Someone Like Me

You may have noticed that I’ve turned on pledges, i.e. readers can now pledge support for my weekly MerryThoughts letters. This is something I have resisted, pondered, and debated in my mind since I first started writing the letters, i.e. for the past four years. It was my son’s idea. He suggested something like Patreon or Substack for my writing, as a way of creating additional, needed income, especially as I seem to be getting to be an old lady. What?! I liked the idea but there was one thing holding me back.

I wanted the letters to be free for anyone who liked them, and especially for someone like me who loves words, reading, and writing, but doesn’t have the disposable income to support another person’s creative life. I wanted the letters to stay free and available to All. With art and all of my creative efforts, I’ve always wanted all of it to be accessible to someone like me.

I left the world of work in order to build my own world of work—a world of creativity, imagination, art, writing, and joy. I made Ampersand Cards. I became an artist who traveled to shows. I became a piano teacher. And I became a writer. I write letters that you and many others read and comment on and seem to love. Wow. That is a beautiful thing. I chose to further my own projects and goals, rather than someone else’s. I’ve never made a lot of money, have failed miserably at saving any, and my house sure needs work, but I am happy. I’ve had a great life.

I chose to forego a job with insurance, days off, paid vacation and most importantly to me now, a retirement plan. My choice. After working for others, I chose not to continue working for years in jobs that didn’t fulfill me. I did not want to just stick with something until I could retire, like so many others have done. I know full well that I made a choice and retirement was not included. I also know that this is true for plenty of people who work at low-paying, soul-crushing jobs. Ugh.

So. People like me do not subscribe to other people’s weekly letters or buy $500 paintings, let alone $5,000 ones. I would love to support others’ creativity and I already know some of those I would, if I had the dough-re-mi. My decision to turn on pledges here at Substack was not made lightly. It is due in part to the fact that many of you had already pledged! Thank you! Since I can keep the letters and the archive 100% free, I’ve finally decided, okay, I’ll do it. I’ve said there will be “possible surprises,” as well as “love and thanks” for subscribers but I am unwilling to make the full archive available only to subscribers. And of course, love and thanks go out to everyone who simply reads my letters, especially those who send me a note now and then.

People have paid me all these years for my cards and art. So I will let those of you who want to support my writing, another type of art, do so. I am very grateful. I’m very grateful for all of it and for all of you—you readers and note senders, you card and art buyers, you piano students, whether or not you pledge monetary support.

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Dogs have no money. Isn't that amazing? They're broke their entire lives. But they get through. You know why dogs have no money? No pockets.” - Jerry Seinfeld

“You have two choices: You can make a living, or you can design a life.” - Jim Rohn

If you're looking for my cards or art, you'll find all of that on my website. If you enjoy these letters, feel free to share. And if someone shared this one with you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you'll find all my poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the "merry thoughts."