My Thankful List

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief of Southern Writers Magazine

We all at one time or another say we are thankful for something or someone.  Lately I have begun to wonder if we really understand what that word means and if we do in fact mean it.

I realized that I have many opportunities every day to thank someone for helping me and to tell them just how grateful I am they took some of their time and spent it on me.

All the moments in a day when someone gives me comfort or pleasure, I need to make sure to say thank you. I need to remember not to take them for granted.

Perhaps, I should make a list, I can call it my Thankful List, and make a note of each thing and each person I am grateful for and at the end of the week begin a new list.

Keeping the lists, I could check at the end of every month how many times each was listed during the month. Then spend a few moments reflecting on all the things I do have in my life to be grateful for showing me just how blessed I am.

Perhaps we could send a few thank you notes to some of these wonderful people so they would be blessed.

As writers it helps to remember to be thankful for the time we do have to write. That we are doing what we love and to be thankful for the people who support us and encourage us.

Let us remember each time we sit down to write; just how thankful we should be.

Paying it Forward

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

May is the month of Mother's Day, various educational levels of Graduations, and Memorial Day. It is fitting to say thank you on all these occasions.  Words and actions to mothers, students, teachers and veterans are always appreciated but especially on their special designated days.

Thank you is such a simple word but has wonderful residual effects for both the giver and receiver. I truly think the giver receives the most benefit. Today, people refer to a gesture of thanks as "paying it forward". A concept that is not original to the 21st century but very worthwhile for us embrace.

Acts of kindness have been the subject and themes of countless books. Southern Writers Magazine's blog, Suite T, strives to "pay it forward", five days a week. SWM's Suite T blog provides an opportunity for authors to learn from other authors, as does the magazine.

As May comes to an end, take a stroll through the blog archives. There may be a post you overlooked that can help you through a current writing challenge. The authors who guest post want to mentor other authors. Sharing their experiences may help you tackle a writing issue.

As Communications Director, I thank all our writers and contributors to SWM's Suite T and the magazine!

Did you know May 30th; is the 150th day of the year? There are 215 days remaining until the end of 2013. You have plenty of time left in the year to share your writing experiences. Isn't it time you send in a guest post to SWM's Suite T blog and "pay it forward?"

Paying it forward helps the giver remember how they got to be a writer and it defines where you are going as a writer. Generous sharing of your talent experiences will definitely payback to the giver. There may be a writer who could benefit from some advice that helped you. 

Pay It Forward, y'all!