Thank You Can Never Come Too Soon

Writing prompt #1: Imagine you’re giving a speech for an award you’ve just received. Who do you want to thank and why?

It’s down to the exciting countdown… three… two… one. After that, I will have reached 1,000 followers. How exhilarating is that? Very. I’m not the first to go through it, nor am I first to write about it, but I suspect most scribe when they hit their achievement.

I want to track the minutes, hours, or days before reaching my coveted goal. This is when anticipation meets gratitude. I feel like a racehorse in the home stretch, with the wind whipping through my hair and my nostrils flaring. This is the most extraordinary form of freedom. There’s no stopping me now.

Since beginning my journey on Medium, there have been many dips and climbs — in inspiration, drive, and writing enhancements. But the one thing that has never faltered is my undying appreciation for the readers of my stories. At first, these people showed up as numbers and have become so much more.

The thought that 1,000 readers and writers took an interest in me over the past year leaves me heartfelt and energized. I feel celebrated and humbled. Can I now come to the podium and offer my speech?

Here goes…

Dearest readers and writers,

With tremendous gratitude, I thank you for your unwavering dedication to supporting me. As a relatively unpolished writer, I came to this platform with a vision to share my stories and hoped to change one life at a time. While I have achieved outstanding success, the greatest triumph has come about in the lessons you all have taught me from here and afar. You have shown me the fortitude of perseverance, offered strength to help me withstand change, and brought me security through a sense of community.

Writing can be lonely as we writers sit with our thoughts. However, sharing my stories has opened a world for me to connect, and I now realize that I am never alone. Whatever I am thinking somewhere out there, someone else feels it too. It’s mind-boggling.

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” — Stephen King

So thank you all, readers and writers, for giving me purpose and inspiration. I love reading your work and look forward to my daily reads while sharing unique interactions with each author. I’m learning to expand my literary horizons, and I couldn’t do it without you.

Oh, they’re playing the music. My time for acceptance is ending. Thank you all so much for reading, supporting, and following me. You make every day a reason to smile.

Sure, I could have waited; written my acceptance speech when I reached 1,000 followers, but that wouldn’t have been as much fun. So instead, I am elated because I’m a nose away from the finish line, and it doesn’t get better than this.

I feel like a diver seconds before he splashes into the cold. Can you feel it too? The exhilaration, the holding your breath until it happens, and the fascinating wait.

Can you feel the countdown? Three… Two… One. I’m almost there. Then I will have reached my initial goal, and I’ll set a new benchmark. The next target I’ll strive for will include all of you — my new lifelong friends.

Not only will I shortly celebrate 1,000 followers here, but I am also so very grateful to the many readers who’ve subscribed to my newsletter on Substack. If you’re interested in joining, please subscribe using this link. karenschwartz.substack.com

Thank you to Adrienne Beaumont for suggesting this prompt. You can enjoy her story here.