Sweetest Duke, thank you for reading and sharing your heart. Thank you for your loving words. My heart receives your message and hugs, and I send you a big hug back.
Marco, thanks for taking the time to read and respond- it means the world. Yes, indeed- vulnerability with trusted ones can be one of the most powerful channels for love and healing 🙏🏼
Sweet girl! I love you so much. I’m so proud of you and your journey. You speak to me every newsletter. I love listening because I miss your voice. I love getting to know you with the layers off. You are one of my favorite humans. I love the way we connect, communicate and even hold an accountability for each other. You may be my daughter in law but what I hold truly close is our friendship. I look forward to continuing to shed the layers off of that relationship as we each grow in ourselves and together. You inspire me every day. Love, Lana
Lana, thank you, I feel your love close here in my heart. Thank you for sharing *you* with me. One of my favorite things is to LAUGH with you. You know what that joy and laughter means? FREEDOM!! And there is still more to find. Let’s go hunting. HUGS!
Favorite post so far! Beautifully written and so relatable. I heard a lot of humility in it - it’s not necessarily about you, but about the connection created by and in the vulnerability shared. Appreciate this and you 💕🙏✨
Katie, it is an honor to read this from you, thank you. Thank you for recognizing where the value lies and highlighting that. I’m grateful to have you here.
Peeling back the layers of an onion. It’s a metaphor for life and growth that might not be perfect but never gets old.
The most poignant part of the metaphor for me is that peeling onions can sting and make you cry. Well, if that’s not a truth about growth and life, I don’t know what is!
An excerpt from a writing by Sara Hauber
With every layer we peel back, we can potentially face great pain and lots of tears. But it’s worth it, because onions, like life, are so tasty when they’re peeled and used in a way that is totally different from how they started. Instead of being a thick, protected orb with all sorts of potential (imagine our adult defenses), when the onion has been peeled and chopped, allowing us to cry while we peel and chop it, we make something pretty delicious and wonderful with it.
With life, it seems, it’s only in the unpeeling (discovering), chopping (analyzing), and making us cry (healing) that we learn, grow, and become our true selves.
Is it uncomfortable? Hell yes, just like peeling and chopping an onion can be.
Debbie- this response from you is BEAUtiful. Yes, my magical, beautiful Aunt Debbie Freeman GETS IT ✨💛🦋 thank you for sharing these thoughts in more detail- it all really resonates with me. I didn’t even realize how much farther the metaphor could go. I love it; thank you. I’m so grateful you’re here and that we’re connected.
Just beautiful. My favorite piece of yours yet :) Thank you for the kindly mention. It means a lot because I know the feeling of the "mirror." Keep going, Jeannie! Can't wait to see what else might be found in that onion.
Matt, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so grateful to write with you. Let's keep going together! I gotta bounce over and read about this haircut of yours.
Jean and I am so proud of you and how far you have come in your recovery journey. You are an amazing lady doing amazing things. I remember praying for you so many times, God is good and prayers were heard and answered. Merry Christmas, love you girl!!!!
Thank you so much for reading and for your sweet message Heather. Thank you for your prayers and authentic influence in my life. Merry Christmas, I love you!
This is truly beautiful. Wow. I LOVE the vulnerability and honesty. It was nonfiction but it had an arc like a short story. Well-written. Deep. True. The sweetest part of the onion 🧅 IS the center. We’re all so constantly encouraged to wear a social mask. You peel that mask off, softly and openly, and we see the real you. That’s the bright shining core of beauty. Of connection. Sobriety is a powerful thing. It leads us to forgiveness, acceptance, letting go.
You also reminded me of when I was still drinking and I’d steal two bottles of Jack Daniels from Vons each night. I finally got caught eventually. They called the sheriff. He took me in the back and scared the shit out of me. But he let me go. I had a long road ahead before I hit bottom and got sober.
Michael, thank you! I cherish your response, and it's all very beautifully stated. Thanks for reading and tapping into the love here. Your writing is a powerful force as well, and I look forward to reading more from you.
Thank you for sharing. I’m humbled, and blessed, to be able to watch the transformation of people who think that nobody did the stuff, or sank as low as they have. But step by step you see the hope in their eyes, step by step you get to see the layers of shame, fear, anger, and hopelessness, fade away. Being replaced with hope, and a new sense of worth. I get to watch them take responsibility and make amends and restore faith in themselves. It’s not easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
So beautifully said Deb! Sounds like you get to regularly witness the miracles, and it is truly magical how powerful each person is. Thank you for reading and sharing your experience!
Upside down, backwards, or sideways I see, feel, and hear you.
I heartfully thank you for sharing always generous genuine giving posts.
During this wonderful season, how very appropriate is your reminder
that we must tear away the wrapping to get to the present.
Holiday Hugs and Yuletide Blessings,.
Duke
Sweetest Duke, thank you for reading and sharing your heart. Thank you for your loving words. My heart receives your message and hugs, and I send you a big hug back.
Thanks for your soulful words. Swear all you you want. We must try to show our open wounds as painful as that is.
Marco, thanks for taking the time to read and respond- it means the world. Yes, indeed- vulnerability with trusted ones can be one of the most powerful channels for love and healing 🙏🏼
Sweet girl! I love you so much. I’m so proud of you and your journey. You speak to me every newsletter. I love listening because I miss your voice. I love getting to know you with the layers off. You are one of my favorite humans. I love the way we connect, communicate and even hold an accountability for each other. You may be my daughter in law but what I hold truly close is our friendship. I look forward to continuing to shed the layers off of that relationship as we each grow in ourselves and together. You inspire me every day. Love, Lana
Lana, thank you, I feel your love close here in my heart. Thank you for sharing *you* with me. One of my favorite things is to LAUGH with you. You know what that joy and laughter means? FREEDOM!! And there is still more to find. Let’s go hunting. HUGS!
SO much laughter coming soon! ❤️
Favorite post so far! Beautifully written and so relatable. I heard a lot of humility in it - it’s not necessarily about you, but about the connection created by and in the vulnerability shared. Appreciate this and you 💕🙏✨
Katie, it is an honor to read this from you, thank you. Thank you for recognizing where the value lies and highlighting that. I’m grateful to have you here.
🔥🔥
Peeling back the layers of an onion. It’s a metaphor for life and growth that might not be perfect but never gets old.
The most poignant part of the metaphor for me is that peeling onions can sting and make you cry. Well, if that’s not a truth about growth and life, I don’t know what is!
An excerpt from a writing by Sara Hauber
With every layer we peel back, we can potentially face great pain and lots of tears. But it’s worth it, because onions, like life, are so tasty when they’re peeled and used in a way that is totally different from how they started. Instead of being a thick, protected orb with all sorts of potential (imagine our adult defenses), when the onion has been peeled and chopped, allowing us to cry while we peel and chop it, we make something pretty delicious and wonderful with it.
With life, it seems, it’s only in the unpeeling (discovering), chopping (analyzing), and making us cry (healing) that we learn, grow, and become our true selves.
Is it uncomfortable? Hell yes, just like peeling and chopping an onion can be.
Is it worth the discomfort?
For me, yes.
Debbie- this response from you is BEAUtiful. Yes, my magical, beautiful Aunt Debbie Freeman GETS IT ✨💛🦋 thank you for sharing these thoughts in more detail- it all really resonates with me. I didn’t even realize how much farther the metaphor could go. I love it; thank you. I’m so grateful you’re here and that we’re connected.
True re onion 🧅
Just beautiful. My favorite piece of yours yet :) Thank you for the kindly mention. It means a lot because I know the feeling of the "mirror." Keep going, Jeannie! Can't wait to see what else might be found in that onion.
Matt, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so grateful to write with you. Let's keep going together! I gotta bounce over and read about this haircut of yours.
Matt I’m going to check out your Stack now for sure 🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥❤️
Thanks again dear girl, you never disappoint. Keep writing, keep sharing.
🙏🏼🦋🧚🏻♂️✨
Jean and I am so proud of you and how far you have come in your recovery journey. You are an amazing lady doing amazing things. I remember praying for you so many times, God is good and prayers were heard and answered. Merry Christmas, love you girl!!!!
Thank you so much for reading and for your sweet message Heather. Thank you for your prayers and authentic influence in my life. Merry Christmas, I love you!
This is truly beautiful. Wow. I LOVE the vulnerability and honesty. It was nonfiction but it had an arc like a short story. Well-written. Deep. True. The sweetest part of the onion 🧅 IS the center. We’re all so constantly encouraged to wear a social mask. You peel that mask off, softly and openly, and we see the real you. That’s the bright shining core of beauty. Of connection. Sobriety is a powerful thing. It leads us to forgiveness, acceptance, letting go.
You also reminded me of when I was still drinking and I’d steal two bottles of Jack Daniels from Vons each night. I finally got caught eventually. They called the sheriff. He took me in the back and scared the shit out of me. But he let me go. I had a long road ahead before I hit bottom and got sober.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Michael, thank you! I cherish your response, and it's all very beautifully stated. Thanks for reading and tapping into the love here. Your writing is a powerful force as well, and I look forward to reading more from you.
❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥
keep on keepin' on
Thank you for sharing. I’m humbled, and blessed, to be able to watch the transformation of people who think that nobody did the stuff, or sank as low as they have. But step by step you see the hope in their eyes, step by step you get to see the layers of shame, fear, anger, and hopelessness, fade away. Being replaced with hope, and a new sense of worth. I get to watch them take responsibility and make amends and restore faith in themselves. It’s not easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
So beautifully said Deb! Sounds like you get to regularly witness the miracles, and it is truly magical how powerful each person is. Thank you for reading and sharing your experience!
Libor, thank you for sharing your experience so vividly. It seems like you could write a book, and I would read it!