Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Silver Linings

There are silver linings in our lives. They’re not often life-changing, but they can be. Seems to me, they’re most often small things. Things that make you smile on days when smiles seem to have lost the directions to your mouth.

I’ve had a few lately. You probably have, too, if you’ll pause to think back. Maybe you pulled the clothes out of the dryer only to discover a nice clean, dry twenty dollar bill. Maybe an agent rejected your query, but included a few notes on what you could do to improve your approach.

Last week, I reviewed Susan McBride’s book The Cougar Club. Afterward, she emailed to offer a free signed copy of The Cougar Club to a commenter. It made me happy that she did that. I hadn’t expected it. It was a silver lining. Today, I’m announcing the winner. There were 48 entries and the name I drew was:
Marisa Birns
I’ve received some Awards lately from other bloggers. Thank you so much. All of you. They are unexpected silver linings. The latest one came from Talli Roland and is indeed a silver lining since it’s called the Silver Lining Award (and got me thinking about such small gifts that come when you’re not expecting them). I’m supposed to pass the award on to five other people. Here are the ones I nominate for the Silver Lining Award:
1. Laurita 
2. Jenn McKay 
3. Shannon O’Donnell 
4. Kathy 
5. Joanne 

Have you ever been a little down or just going through your normal day and suddenly discovered a sliver lining behind the ordinary clouds in your life? Ever got one of those positive rejections? Heard from a long-ago friend? Visited a blog that made you smile for the first time of the day?
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30 comments:

  1. That's nice. Well done to Marisa for winning book too, and to Laurita for being nominated by Helen :) (Well done you four others too, but I don't know you ;))

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  2. Thanks for the Award, the perfect Silver Lining to my Tuesday ;) Pleasant little surprises are definitely wonderful.

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  3. Congrats to you and your picks on the award!
    Little happy moments are indeed silver linings. Sometimes we don't slow down enough to notice them.

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  4. I agree, Laura. I know I'm guilty of not slowing down to enjoy small moments.

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  5. Those silver linings are wonderful. I had one just this morning. Congratulations on your award!

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  6. Thanks for the reminder to enjoy the silver linings! Congratulations on your award.

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  7. Winning the book is definitely a silver lining moment for me today.

    I think your fingers for choosing my name! :D

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  8. Congratulations on the award and congratulations to Marisa on the win. Silver linings do brighten our day.

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  9. Thanks so much, Helen! Your blog is always a silver lining to my day. :-)

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  10. I was sick yesterday but had an owl keeping me company out my window the whole day- that was a silver lining, thanks for reminding me of it.

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  11. Congrats, Marisa!

    My agent just told me publishers are really liking my voice, but my idea is just too similar to things on their list already. So that's DEFINITELY a silver lining, knowing that hopefully if this idea doesn't sell, they'll grab onto one of my others.

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  12. This is a lovely silver lining. We can all use more of those. Thank you, Helen. And congrats on all your silver linings.

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  13. I love silver linings! Thanks for reminding us to look for them, Helen. :)

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  14. Like other small good things, silver linings, for me, don't show up every day, so I appreciate them all the more when they do.

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  15. What is it about finding money in the dryer that's just so exciting?
    Receiving my manuscript back from the publisher and discovering it wasn't one solid red mark was definitely nice.

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  16. Congrats, Helen!

    And finding the former head coach of Clemson was definitelyn a silver lining yesterday!

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  17. Waking up to the gift of a silver lining is like having Christmas in April. You've reminded me to look for silver in places where I might otherwise see tarnish. Thanks, Helen, for making the day shine.

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  18. This is such a nice reminder how the little things in life can mean so much. I'd answer YES in disovering silver linings, receiving positive rejections, hearing from a long-ago friend, and visiting a blog that made me smile for the first time that day.

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  19. I recently put on a coat, reached in the pocket to get my gloves, which I've apparently lost, but found a twenty dollar bill. That made me inexplicably happy.

    And I'm with you, Jane. I often visit blogs and find myself smiling or outright laughing. That does put a silver lining on my day.

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  20. Sometimes I have to search for the silver lining, but it's always there. I love finding it and using it to pull myself out of the cloud-shadows.

    Great post, Hel!

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  21. I love silver linings! And gold linings. Life is indeed about the little things.
    I love that my husband makes my coffee every morning and brings it to me in bed.

    And I love that your blog is called 'straight from hel'...that always makes me smile, whenever I see it around the 'sphere, or on my blog comments. It's clever.

    Happy Tuesday!
    Lola

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  22. Ooh, I would love coffee in bed, too. What a thoughtful husband. He's a keeper. I'm glad you like the blog name. I had one friend who said not to use it because of the word "hel," even though it's my nickname.

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  23. Really liked this post. It's all about attitude, really. There are silver linings all around us if we but get out of our rigid "expectations" for each day and let serendipity happen, hmm?

    I actually DID - just recently - find a twenty spot in my dryer, and on a day when I thought I was flat broke for any discretionary income. Love it when that happens.

    The Old Silly

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  24. Congrats to Marisa, to you for winning the award and to those you've passed it on to!

    Happy Tuesday!

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  25. Hi Talli! Thank you for the award!

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  26. Congrats to Marisa! I love it when people I 'know' win! :)

    Congrats to you as well, Helen! I often find my silver lining right here!

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  27. Thanks for passing on the award to me!!! And congrats for receiving the award, Helen. You are good at pointing out silver linings when you write your posts.

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