ILLUMINATION

An acronym of appreciation for the publication Illumination

The saddest day since I began publishing on Medium was when I looked at my stories and all of my Illumination tags were gone.

A couple of friends had messaged me earlier with the news. I was shocked like they were. Fortunately, Illumination is back. But this experience has caused me to reflect on what the publication and the people writing in it mean to me.

I’ve read other posts, far more eloquent than what I can produce. One of those friends who contacted me is Michele Thill She posted this story.

I offer my perspective of appreciation for Illumination with the following story in the form of an acronym.

Inspiration

I gain daily inspiration by being a part of this community. I’m inspired to keep writing. I’m inspired by the words I read. I’m inspired by the connections and friendships I’ve made and keep making.

Labor of Love

Illumination began as a labor of love for Dr Mehmet Yildiz but there are so many other writers contributing their labors of love to and nurture and grow this publication.

Learning From Others

I’m learning to appreciate different styles of writing. I’m learning new ideas. I’m learning new concepts and new viewpoints.

Umbrella for a Diverse Collection of Voices

While there are topic-specific publications on Medium, I enjoy the daily surprises Illumination has to offer. It’s fun to discover these diverse nuggets of content. Even within the same subjects, Illumination’s unique voices offer multiple perspectives to consider.

Magnetic

Like a lot of you, I was drawn to Illumination because it is a place I could be heard. It is a place I can attract and be attracted to like-minded individuals. Little did I know that attraction would span the globe.

Interaction

It has been so encouraging to see the generosity of the Illumination community. The other day I woke up to see a story I had published the night before had been clapped, highlighted, and shared by people all over the world. What a great way to start the day. That’s interaction!

Nexus

During this pandemic we find ourselves in, I feel more connected. More connected because of Illumination. When Illumination disappeared, that connection was broken. I felt I had lost something special.

Appreciation

I’m more appreciative of Illumination today. Not that I had taken it for granted. No! But when something you come to depend on is suddenly silenced, it is natural for your appreciation to grow.

Tangible Results

Dr Mehmet Yildiz meticulously tracks the statistics of this publication. Illumination is growing and growing fast. My personal community has been growing. I don’t believe it would have happened as fast without Illumination.

Illuminators

My guiding principle is Do What You Can Now. I feel we all shine our lights in our own unique way. Our collective light will shine even brighter when we all do what we can now. We are Illuminators.

Opportunities

I wonder what opportunities are on the horizon for Illuminators. There have already been opportunities to connect with other writers. But what about collaborative opportunities? I don’t know. The foundation is in place.

Neighbors

We are one big global community that has come together on a platform called Medium, in a publication called Illumination. We are all neighbors. Neighbors who just happen to be separated by time zones, oceans, and cultures. But neighbors none the less. So I conclude this acronym with this, Hi Neighbor!

This by no means has exhausted the possibilities for this acronym. Feel free to add your ideas to this in the comments below. Thanks!

I conclude by sharing this story by Aurora Eliam, CMP. She captures a lot of the emotions I felt when Illumination briefly disappeared.

Below are some of the friends I have made in Illumination and others who I want to encourage to join us in this wonderful publication.

Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Michele Thill, Karen Madej, Henery X (long), Dipti Pande, Salam Khan, Kathryn A. LeRoy, Ph.D., Joan Kent, PhD, Amy Marley, Kevin Buddaeus, Candy L Hill, Alena Powell, Margaret Eves, Larry Nowicki, Dave Kwiecinski, @Trapper Sherwood, Nancy H. Vest, Vickie Trancho, Melody Campbell, MaryJo Wagner, Eric Asbeck, Helen Boss, JeffHerring.com, Jane Gardner, Kathleen N Hoagland, Linda Halladay, Linda Miles Murray, Nicki Walsh, Peg Duchesne, Sandi Neilson, Steven Zabronsky, Sunita Pandit, TamiPatzer.com, William McPeck, Yvonne Palmer, Timothy Key, Joe Luca, Paul Myers MBA, John C Davis, Kathy Bates, Pavane Ravel, Lynette Clements, Dr. Sue Massimo, Phil Brakefield, Cynthia Charleen Alexander, Eileen Roth, Gregory Reece-Smith, Kathy Rausch

Thank you for joining me today. Please allow me to introduce myself below.