Silvio, this is such a wonderfully written piece, and not because I get a shout out (thought of course that helps). I want to share this with everyone I know on the writing journey. The way you capture the process is so accurate.
"A weekly writing cadence, where I commit to publishing a piece no matter how bad and confused and hopeless I might feel, taught me that I can do this even when I think I can’t. But I keep forgetting about this and every week I think that, this time, I won’t be able to do it." THIS made me laugh because it's so true.
"Starting a substack has given me the opportunity to plug myself into a community of awesome people. Every week, I get several interesting and thought-provoking comments below my essays, left by people who have actually read them, who have paid attention to my writing." I love that you and I both love and appreciate the comments in Substack. You captured it so well right here. It's hard to show up every week and knowing people come and read and then comment on a piece is the most encouraging thing to me as a writer. Also, I literally cannot believe you went and copied and pasted them all! I also know that if I looked at my comments, you have not missed. Thank you for showing up every week and gracing us with your lyrical words, your thought provoking musing and your sharp wit. I don't know where this writing journey goes for any of us, but I have no doubt that I'm betting on you!
Michelle! Thank you for being here. And thank you for being YOU. Your beautiful words make me happy. Real glad you liked this piece. And I do know the idea of supporting me, as well as others, is always top of mind for you. You're a generous and caring person, which are two qualities that are essential in this writing journey, to me. And you have them in spades. I want to see you on the podium for the next edition of this exercise! :)
I enjoyed following you on this exercise of exploring commenters! But Also the exercise of writing and publishing on this internet thing. I also thoroughly enjoy reading you.
Thank you, Steven. Our WOP cohort was a real special one. The enjoyment is all mine and your writing always leaves a trail of questions and thoughts and beautiful reflections. And yes, the photos! I really need to up my photo game on here :)
What an amazing way to honor your readers Silvio, especially the effort you put in to capturing the unique contributions of each of these commenting authors. As I'm subscribed to many of these folks and read your tributes to each, I was struck by how much I resonated with your assessment of their essential strengths. I have a friend who just signed up for Substack and after following me asked who else they should follow. I mentioned your blog, and they asked me why they should read it. But I didn't have an immediate answer. I had to pause. And then I said, "Not sure - but somehow I am always engaged by the humanness of Silvio's reflections, and I always feel like I'm being invited to tea, or for a spring walk through a mind that's in bloom." I actually thought that was pretty good! But I think those of us who are appreciating you just feel seen because you are willing to see yourself and share it. And it's also really nice to know that the comments are appreciated, and that you aren't rolling your eyes when your serial fans chime in. I find commenting in general a complete joy. The authors you've named here are writing essays with standalone value, but their articles are also profound writing prompts, and open up new perspectives I didn't even know were in me until I engaged.
There's always been a special tie with you on here, Rick. You're totally right, every time it's like going for a walk together. One of those walks where you feel reinvigorated and refreshed afterwards. I really cannot thank you enough for your always thoughtful presence and the quality of your reflections. And I love how you characterized my writing to your friend. It was really good! Thank you! I too find commenting a pure joy, a moment of expression and thought-generation that's surely more spontaneous than writing the essay per se. One where we can take more risk and throw new things at the wall to see what sticks. A moment of experimentation. I find all this such an essential part of our writing journeys. :)
Forever a serial commenter on The Semi-Serious View 🤍 Silvio, when I get the notification in my inbox that you’ve published a new piece, I genuinely get excited. Real, eyes-light-up joy. Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing! :)
Also, I LOVE this idea of keeping comments like postcards. I may have to steal it.
Dear Grace, I'm blessed to have you among my friends. Thank you for these nice words. The same happens to me with The G Word. You have a way of conveying profound ideas delicately and gracefully (no pun intended). And I always learn a lot from your style. :)
Do steal it, please. I'd love to see something similar with your own spin on it!
Well well, I’m number seven with 9 comments. I’m going for the 10th! That's so kind of you silvio, thank you very much. If you had asked me how many comments I had left on your wonderful pieces I would have said... I would have had no idea! Numbers are numbers, after all. What those comments meant instead - at least for me - is much more valuable: it is a conversation that started from what you wrote and continued through the thoughts you were able and succeeded in provoking. Sometimes I have asked myself, "Am I not talking about something unrelated?" and that may well be so, but the great thing is that your writings do just that: they provoke reactions, they activate thoughts and memories. They take the mind elsewhere and always enrich me in the end. So thank you and thank you number 10. Today I have become Maradona.
Thank you, Martino. Yes, beyond the numbers, there's meaning and value in your interventions. After all, we've known each other for so long now that these comments are just the tip of the iceberg of our conversations. Thank you for being here, always, with your intriguing perspective. :)
I know you do, Sairam. And I do know you're always present with your support and appreciation. And ever since I discovered that you're the nephew of the great prof. Sundaresan, I have developed a sort of new affection towards you :) (not that I didn't have any before, mind you :)
OMG Silvio, thank you so much! This really means a ton, especially coming from you. And, leaving aside the fact that I get a shout out (my gratitude and appreciation to you! Thank you again!), this is a wonderful piece in its own right, as usual. I love the fact that you brought about the community aspect of the writing experience -- it's all about the connections we make. How wonderful it is, to hang out in the comments section with folks from all places, and all share the love and commitment to writing and exploration, within and without? This is communal spirit at its finest, and I cannot appreciate your sincere, in-depth, and always thought-provoking explorations enough, every Wednesday ;)
This is the bare minimum I could do to honor your always precious presence, Helen. Thank you for being here, and contributing to this awesome community. Yes, this is a beautiful gift that we've given ourselves. And I really hope it stays like this. :)
"But I keep forgetting about this and every week I think that, this time, I won’t be able to do it. And when I eventually do, I’m so relieved that I get the strength to repeat the cycle all over again."
I have this same feeling.
Also, in the first few months of Sunday Candy, I screenshot all my comments lol I always intended to do something with them too. A lot of them I kept in a journal to look back on when I needed a lift, but I stopped at some point. It might be a good practice to bring back.
Once WOP is over and I have time and energy, I'm looking forward to catching up on Substacks like yours :)
Sandra! Glad you can relate. I think the comments we receive here are a gift, and we should treasure them. And I thought that collecting them and doing something regularly with them would keep them alive. Thank you for being here. Big fan of your Sunday Candy (and your handwriting lol) :)
Wow, loved the piece Silvio. So much so that I going to start commenting on the pieces I like, instead of just appreciating them internally and moving on.
Ever since I started writing on substack, I've been reading dozens of essays, but I have never taken out the time to comment on them. But man, you've changed my entire approach!
Also, I want to commend you on your publishing streak. Keep it up my friend!
Ishan! Thank you so much. So glad this resonated with you. And yes, I’d love to see in comments some of the beautiful voice you have in your writing. I love your stuff. :)
Silvio, This is such an inspiration. I love the way you brought along your commenters and captured their humanity more than their interactions in the process. You have a way of finding the smallest detail and making it feel like the most important, most beautiful, most poignant fact in the whole world. I love that about your voice.
I may only have commented 3 times, but it's because I started following your writing late. I expect to comment many more times (and honestly, absolutely cherish your comments on my own writing when they come).
I hope this continues 7 more months, than 7 years, then for a lot longer than that.
Latham! Thank you so much my friend. I often think, when reading your writing, that we have a similar type of sensitivity towards many facets of life. Obviously our stories are different, but I can always feel the depth of your pieces and how strongly certain emotions (that only you know how to write) resonate with me. Numbers have been important for this exercise because I had to base this whole piece on an objective metric. But for me, you are all the same and I really, REALLY, feel so blessed to have all of you in my (virtual) life. And, as I said in closing the piece, I hope this lasts forever. :)
Wow Silvio. I loved this piece. I marvel at the fact that you took all the comments you've received and put them on a separate Google Doc. It's an interesting exercise! But above all, I really value you sharing how delightful this journey has been for you. I really needed it this week where I'm actively questioning what part of sharing my work online is driven by conviction and what part of it is driven by not wanting to quit this experiment. But your reflection also helps me see all the positives I've gained from sharing my work (particularly when I moved to Substack, which was nudged by you and a few others).
As always, your perspective is not only a breath of fresh air, but wind under our writing wings.
Thank you so much, Camilo! I think we inevitably go through ebb and flow, right? We're human. But I think that the long-term perspective has to be one of conviction and utmost satisfaction. Doing this for our own sake always generates positive surprises along the way, but the key is not to think about it. I know it isn't easy, but I always remind myself to just write, and think, and write some more. Without thinking about where this is going to go. So far I'm happy with what I have. And you should be too! I truly enjoy your writing and friendship. :)
I've been sharing a lot of similar thoughts as I just hit my one year writing anniversary. But you put them more eloquently than I ever could. It's been a pleasure reading your words for the past seven months. And my only ask is that you never stop!
Thank you so much for these kind words, Arman. I do remember you sharing similar thoughts on your first anniversary, and I always love your reflections. Thank you for being here :)
I literally just found you today, but I expect I'll make the next list lol. Keep up the excellent work, I'm really excited to add your influence to my idea factory!
Thank you, Alaina. You're a new name and it's nice to see your first comment. These are nice words, and yes, I'd love for you to make the list next time around as a new serial commentator! :)
Silvio, your writing are such a pleasure to read! How kind of you to shout-out to all who have commented. I’m stuck in perpetual hell of a writer’s block. Your weekly pieces encourage me to push forward.
Silvio, my friend. I remember we shared a common thinking moment as we went to and fro with the idea of “words create worlds”.
I am about to publish my fifth short article for WoP10 in addition to my 25th Effortless Thursdays.
In the short article I’ve written a curation piece on a real-life Indiana Jones who has had an impact on my coaching and my life in ways that are deeply satisfying.
Reading through all the comments you’ve received on this essay of yours shows me how much connection you have created with your words and ideas.
It was only mentioned once, though, by Ishan: love. These comments, your writing, are a joyful expression of the love you conjure amongst us all. We are privileged to share in how you’re creating it.
The description I wrote about the real life Indiana Jones, who’s actually a positive psychology professor is apt to describe the feeling I have reading your article.
“You see, what is different about Robert was so subtle at first, that I only caught it when I noticed my fellow students in class listening to Robert or watching him do a coaching demo: everyone’s heads were nodding and their faces smiling with a "yes, I can do this, too”
Thanks for the love, creating some beautiful worlds we can explore, and sprinkling your writing inspiration.
Eric! Thank you so much for this wonderful comment. What we've created here is indeed magical, for all of us. And I believe it's built on strong foundations of love and respect and appreciation and discovery. I feel so blessed for having met you and all the others through WOP. This could only continue. I'm intrigued by your piece that you've referenced here, about the real life Indiana Jones. And thank you for associating that description to the feeling you had reading my piece. I'm honored and I'm going to read it now. :)
I said this to you already, but I’m sharing our WhatsApp message here because I want the world to know how much I appreciate you, your wisdom, and your damn good writing 🙂
Oh Silvio, my heart is going to burst. That was so wonderful to read. Thank you for this -- your descriptions are so clear and touching. You remind me to never lose sight of what this is all about -- connection, experiencing the profound & richness of life through writing together.
After our conversation about distribution, I needed this gentle reminder -- no matter what happens, we've proven to ourselves that we can write. That we can distill our unique human experiences into words on the page. And that's beautiful.
Thank you so much, Rachael. Thank you for your always precious presence. You nailed it: it's about writing together and supporting each other and feeling ourselves part of a community. I never thought this would be so important. But it is. :)
Silvio, this is such a wonderfully written piece, and not because I get a shout out (thought of course that helps). I want to share this with everyone I know on the writing journey. The way you capture the process is so accurate.
"A weekly writing cadence, where I commit to publishing a piece no matter how bad and confused and hopeless I might feel, taught me that I can do this even when I think I can’t. But I keep forgetting about this and every week I think that, this time, I won’t be able to do it." THIS made me laugh because it's so true.
"Starting a substack has given me the opportunity to plug myself into a community of awesome people. Every week, I get several interesting and thought-provoking comments below my essays, left by people who have actually read them, who have paid attention to my writing." I love that you and I both love and appreciate the comments in Substack. You captured it so well right here. It's hard to show up every week and knowing people come and read and then comment on a piece is the most encouraging thing to me as a writer. Also, I literally cannot believe you went and copied and pasted them all! I also know that if I looked at my comments, you have not missed. Thank you for showing up every week and gracing us with your lyrical words, your thought provoking musing and your sharp wit. I don't know where this writing journey goes for any of us, but I have no doubt that I'm betting on you!
Michelle! Thank you for being here. And thank you for being YOU. Your beautiful words make me happy. Real glad you liked this piece. And I do know the idea of supporting me, as well as others, is always top of mind for you. You're a generous and caring person, which are two qualities that are essential in this writing journey, to me. And you have them in spades. I want to see you on the podium for the next edition of this exercise! :)
hahaha thank you for that Silvio! Very kind and I am committing publicly to going for gold round two!
I enjoyed following you on this exercise of exploring commenters! But Also the exercise of writing and publishing on this internet thing. I also thoroughly enjoy reading you.
And I hope for more of your photos soon too!
Thank you, Steven. Our WOP cohort was a real special one. The enjoyment is all mine and your writing always leaves a trail of questions and thoughts and beautiful reflections. And yes, the photos! I really need to up my photo game on here :)
Yes! More pics please Silvio!
+1 on more photos!
What an amazing way to honor your readers Silvio, especially the effort you put in to capturing the unique contributions of each of these commenting authors. As I'm subscribed to many of these folks and read your tributes to each, I was struck by how much I resonated with your assessment of their essential strengths. I have a friend who just signed up for Substack and after following me asked who else they should follow. I mentioned your blog, and they asked me why they should read it. But I didn't have an immediate answer. I had to pause. And then I said, "Not sure - but somehow I am always engaged by the humanness of Silvio's reflections, and I always feel like I'm being invited to tea, or for a spring walk through a mind that's in bloom." I actually thought that was pretty good! But I think those of us who are appreciating you just feel seen because you are willing to see yourself and share it. And it's also really nice to know that the comments are appreciated, and that you aren't rolling your eyes when your serial fans chime in. I find commenting in general a complete joy. The authors you've named here are writing essays with standalone value, but their articles are also profound writing prompts, and open up new perspectives I didn't even know were in me until I engaged.
There's always been a special tie with you on here, Rick. You're totally right, every time it's like going for a walk together. One of those walks where you feel reinvigorated and refreshed afterwards. I really cannot thank you enough for your always thoughtful presence and the quality of your reflections. And I love how you characterized my writing to your friend. It was really good! Thank you! I too find commenting a pure joy, a moment of expression and thought-generation that's surely more spontaneous than writing the essay per se. One where we can take more risk and throw new things at the wall to see what sticks. A moment of experimentation. I find all this such an essential part of our writing journeys. :)
Well I certainly look forward to more of all this my friend. Love your risks. Carry on!
Forever a serial commenter on The Semi-Serious View 🤍 Silvio, when I get the notification in my inbox that you’ve published a new piece, I genuinely get excited. Real, eyes-light-up joy. Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing! :)
Also, I LOVE this idea of keeping comments like postcards. I may have to steal it.
Dear Grace, I'm blessed to have you among my friends. Thank you for these nice words. The same happens to me with The G Word. You have a way of conveying profound ideas delicately and gracefully (no pun intended). And I always learn a lot from your style. :)
Do steal it, please. I'd love to see something similar with your own spin on it!
Well well, I’m number seven with 9 comments. I’m going for the 10th! That's so kind of you silvio, thank you very much. If you had asked me how many comments I had left on your wonderful pieces I would have said... I would have had no idea! Numbers are numbers, after all. What those comments meant instead - at least for me - is much more valuable: it is a conversation that started from what you wrote and continued through the thoughts you were able and succeeded in provoking. Sometimes I have asked myself, "Am I not talking about something unrelated?" and that may well be so, but the great thing is that your writings do just that: they provoke reactions, they activate thoughts and memories. They take the mind elsewhere and always enrich me in the end. So thank you and thank you number 10. Today I have become Maradona.
Thank you, Martino. Yes, beyond the numbers, there's meaning and value in your interventions. After all, we've known each other for so long now that these comments are just the tip of the iceberg of our conversations. Thank you for being here, always, with your intriguing perspective. :)
Threw comments 😂. I love your work, Silvio. I just linger in the shadows a lot.
I know you do, Sairam. And I do know you're always present with your support and appreciation. And ever since I discovered that you're the nephew of the great prof. Sundaresan, I have developed a sort of new affection towards you :) (not that I didn't have any before, mind you :)
Haha, that's very kind of you, my friend! :)
Three*
OMG Silvio, thank you so much! This really means a ton, especially coming from you. And, leaving aside the fact that I get a shout out (my gratitude and appreciation to you! Thank you again!), this is a wonderful piece in its own right, as usual. I love the fact that you brought about the community aspect of the writing experience -- it's all about the connections we make. How wonderful it is, to hang out in the comments section with folks from all places, and all share the love and commitment to writing and exploration, within and without? This is communal spirit at its finest, and I cannot appreciate your sincere, in-depth, and always thought-provoking explorations enough, every Wednesday ;)
This is the bare minimum I could do to honor your always precious presence, Helen. Thank you for being here, and contributing to this awesome community. Yes, this is a beautiful gift that we've given ourselves. And I really hope it stays like this. :)
"But I keep forgetting about this and every week I think that, this time, I won’t be able to do it. And when I eventually do, I’m so relieved that I get the strength to repeat the cycle all over again."
I have this same feeling.
Also, in the first few months of Sunday Candy, I screenshot all my comments lol I always intended to do something with them too. A lot of them I kept in a journal to look back on when I needed a lift, but I stopped at some point. It might be a good practice to bring back.
Once WOP is over and I have time and energy, I'm looking forward to catching up on Substacks like yours :)
Sandra! Glad you can relate. I think the comments we receive here are a gift, and we should treasure them. And I thought that collecting them and doing something regularly with them would keep them alive. Thank you for being here. Big fan of your Sunday Candy (and your handwriting lol) :)
Wow, loved the piece Silvio. So much so that I going to start commenting on the pieces I like, instead of just appreciating them internally and moving on.
Ever since I started writing on substack, I've been reading dozens of essays, but I have never taken out the time to comment on them. But man, you've changed my entire approach!
Also, I want to commend you on your publishing streak. Keep it up my friend!
Ishan! Thank you so much. So glad this resonated with you. And yes, I’d love to see in comments some of the beautiful voice you have in your writing. I love your stuff. :)
Silvio, This is such an inspiration. I love the way you brought along your commenters and captured their humanity more than their interactions in the process. You have a way of finding the smallest detail and making it feel like the most important, most beautiful, most poignant fact in the whole world. I love that about your voice.
I may only have commented 3 times, but it's because I started following your writing late. I expect to comment many more times (and honestly, absolutely cherish your comments on my own writing when they come).
I hope this continues 7 more months, than 7 years, then for a lot longer than that.
Latham! Thank you so much my friend. I often think, when reading your writing, that we have a similar type of sensitivity towards many facets of life. Obviously our stories are different, but I can always feel the depth of your pieces and how strongly certain emotions (that only you know how to write) resonate with me. Numbers have been important for this exercise because I had to base this whole piece on an objective metric. But for me, you are all the same and I really, REALLY, feel so blessed to have all of you in my (virtual) life. And, as I said in closing the piece, I hope this lasts forever. :)
Wow Silvio. I loved this piece. I marvel at the fact that you took all the comments you've received and put them on a separate Google Doc. It's an interesting exercise! But above all, I really value you sharing how delightful this journey has been for you. I really needed it this week where I'm actively questioning what part of sharing my work online is driven by conviction and what part of it is driven by not wanting to quit this experiment. But your reflection also helps me see all the positives I've gained from sharing my work (particularly when I moved to Substack, which was nudged by you and a few others).
As always, your perspective is not only a breath of fresh air, but wind under our writing wings.
Bravo!
Thank you so much, Camilo! I think we inevitably go through ebb and flow, right? We're human. But I think that the long-term perspective has to be one of conviction and utmost satisfaction. Doing this for our own sake always generates positive surprises along the way, but the key is not to think about it. I know it isn't easy, but I always remind myself to just write, and think, and write some more. Without thinking about where this is going to go. So far I'm happy with what I have. And you should be too! I truly enjoy your writing and friendship. :)
I've been sharing a lot of similar thoughts as I just hit my one year writing anniversary. But you put them more eloquently than I ever could. It's been a pleasure reading your words for the past seven months. And my only ask is that you never stop!
Thank you so much for these kind words, Arman. I do remember you sharing similar thoughts on your first anniversary, and I always love your reflections. Thank you for being here :)
I literally just found you today, but I expect I'll make the next list lol. Keep up the excellent work, I'm really excited to add your influence to my idea factory!
Thank you, Alaina. You're a new name and it's nice to see your first comment. These are nice words, and yes, I'd love for you to make the list next time around as a new serial commentator! :)
Silvio, your writing are such a pleasure to read! How kind of you to shout-out to all who have commented. I’m stuck in perpetual hell of a writer’s block. Your weekly pieces encourage me to push forward.
We're here waiting for you to get unstuck, Jisoo! Not going anywhere. I personally look forward to seeing more of your writing soon. Thank you! :)
Silvio, my friend. I remember we shared a common thinking moment as we went to and fro with the idea of “words create worlds”.
I am about to publish my fifth short article for WoP10 in addition to my 25th Effortless Thursdays.
In the short article I’ve written a curation piece on a real-life Indiana Jones who has had an impact on my coaching and my life in ways that are deeply satisfying.
Reading through all the comments you’ve received on this essay of yours shows me how much connection you have created with your words and ideas.
It was only mentioned once, though, by Ishan: love. These comments, your writing, are a joyful expression of the love you conjure amongst us all. We are privileged to share in how you’re creating it.
The description I wrote about the real life Indiana Jones, who’s actually a positive psychology professor is apt to describe the feeling I have reading your article.
“You see, what is different about Robert was so subtle at first, that I only caught it when I noticed my fellow students in class listening to Robert or watching him do a coaching demo: everyone’s heads were nodding and their faces smiling with a "yes, I can do this, too”
Thanks for the love, creating some beautiful worlds we can explore, and sprinkling your writing inspiration.
With ❤️
Eric! Thank you so much for this wonderful comment. What we've created here is indeed magical, for all of us. And I believe it's built on strong foundations of love and respect and appreciation and discovery. I feel so blessed for having met you and all the others through WOP. This could only continue. I'm intrigued by your piece that you've referenced here, about the real life Indiana Jones. And thank you for associating that description to the feeling you had reading my piece. I'm honored and I'm going to read it now. :)
I said this to you already, but I’m sharing our WhatsApp message here because I want the world to know how much I appreciate you, your wisdom, and your damn good writing 🙂
Oh Silvio, my heart is going to burst. That was so wonderful to read. Thank you for this -- your descriptions are so clear and touching. You remind me to never lose sight of what this is all about -- connection, experiencing the profound & richness of life through writing together.
After our conversation about distribution, I needed this gentle reminder -- no matter what happens, we've proven to ourselves that we can write. That we can distill our unique human experiences into words on the page. And that's beautiful.
Thank you so much, Rachael. Thank you for your always precious presence. You nailed it: it's about writing together and supporting each other and feeling ourselves part of a community. I never thought this would be so important. But it is. :)