A few thank you's

Thank you to the guy in the bar who hit on me when I was feeling invisible

Thank you to the little kid who came and held my hand when I was craving affection

Thank you to the friend who hugged me as I cried uncontrollably

Thank you to the cab driver who greeted me with a huge smile on a morning I couldn’t imagine getting through the day

Thank you to the girl in a café who told me she finds my articles relatable when I thought I should quit writing

Thank you to the student on a campus who told me I am her role model when I was feeling uninspired

Thank you to the stranger at crossword who let me grab the last copy of a book I had wanted for 2 months

Thank you to the girl who offered to take my photo after seeing I was clearly struggling

Thank you to the friend who called my ambition sexy, when I had almost believed that it pushed people away

Thank you to the waiter who gave me a free cheesecake when I was sitting alone at a café

Thank you to the colleague who got me homemade cake after she found out I hadn’t eaten for two days

Thank you to the friend who forced me to the doctor because I was skipping my vaccination

Thank you to the people who sent me book and song recommendations when I wasn’t able to communicate what I needed

Thank you to all those people who helped me carry on for one more second, one more hour, one more day

Thank you to those who reminded me of my smile and happiness when I had given up on it.

Kindness matters. Smiles matter. Hugs matter. More than I ever imagined. More than I can ever express gratitude for.