Just a Word
How to make heavy times a little lighter.
"Words of affirmation" is one of my top love languages. I believe that words are powerful, and that it doesn't take a lot of effort to use your words to brighten someones days. We all have times when we need a little extra encouragement, and a few genuine words could be enough to pull someone out of a cloud. For me, that tough time is the entire month of December. Throughout my life, all of the majorly bad things that have happened have happened in the month of December. I know I should not let a few unfortunate events steal an entire month from me every year, but it's difficult to think in a productive way when you are in the abyss.
December 1st would have been my dads birthday. December 2nd (1999) my grandpa died. December 3rd (2018) was the day I was diagnosed with a high maintenance auto-immune disease. Sometime in December (2005) I saw my dad for the last time, cold and covered in wires and tubes, unable to speak or move, but still holding on. And on December 16th (2005) my dad died. Since he died just a few days before my 9th birthday, my "present" that year was choosing whether his funeral would be the day before or the day after my birthday. (Not a good gift. I do not recommend.)
Over the years I have come to accept that December is just a bad time and always will be. Every year I spend this month wishing I could just curl up in a ball and not move until it is over because if anything awful is ever going to happen in my life it will happen this month and I just don't want to deal with it.
December is stress. December is anxiety. December is mourning for the things I have lost and panicking at the thought of losing anything else. It is not a "merry and bright" time, it's dark and dull and endless.
This year, my place of work set up a Christmas Encouragement project, where everyone submitted messages for people at our workplace that they loved and appreciated and wanted to encourage. These messages were submitted in October, and sorted and saved to be sent out at some point near Christmas. Since it was so far in advance, most of us forgot about it. I wrote a few, but I didn't really think of what I would get in return.
So, December rolls around again and brings with it a cloud of everything I hate to remember. Death, sickness, regret, anxiety. What am I doing and what is the point of any of it anyway? The cloud gets heavier as the month goes on. Every year I forget how bad it is until I'm in the middle of it again. Something in me knows that it gets better, that as soon as the month ends it's like a switch has been flipped and everything starts to light up again, but that part of me is so hard to hear sometimes.
The worst day is always the 16th. The anniversary of the day my dad died. I was only eight years old when it happened, but I vividly remember my moms face when she came home and told us that he was gone. I also remember telling her that she was lying, because God loved me, and if God loved me my dad could not die. At least not right then.
This year, one December 15th, the Christmas Project was released. My email was flooded with over a dozen messages full of love, both from people who have been a part of my life for years, and from people I barely knew. Words or encouragement, love, strength, and confirmation that I am doing things that really matter with my life.
I do not have words for what I felt reading through these messages. I laughed, I cried, I felt truly loved and appreciated. These messages gave me something fresh and hopeful to hold onto on the bad days.
So, if you want to do something kind for someone, it doesn't have to be huge. You don't need to buy something big, or plan out a grand adventure, or spill your guts in some deep poetic way. Just write a little note. Just say a kind word. Just let someone know that you see them, and you love them, and you are there. I cannot tell you how much life-change you can set into motion with just a word.
About the Creator
Angel Duncan
I am 24 years old. I love Jesus, books, family, and Disney. I am a Type 1 Diabetic. One of my biggest goals in life is to write a good book. One that genuinely makes people feel something.
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Every year on my dad's birthday, I post a picture of him on my social media, and every year there is this sudden broken feeling when I re-realize that the picture I am posting is one that I have posted a dozen times before. It's a good picture, it's from when he was young, and happy, and doing what he loved. But it's still just one old photo.
By Angel Duncan5 years ago in Humans
Asia Shares Rise on AI Optimism as Receding Fed Rate-Cut Bets Lift the Dollar
Asian stock markets moved higher as optimism around artificial intelligence (AI) continued to energize investors, helping offset concerns about global monetary tightening. At the same time, the U.S. dollar strengthened after expectations for aggressive interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve began to fade, reshaping global currency and equity dynamics. The contrasting forces — enthusiasm for technological growth versus tighter financial conditions — highlight how markets are navigating a complex and rapidly evolving economic landscape. AI Optimism Drives Asian Equity Gains Across major Asian markets, investor sentiment received a boost from renewed confidence in artificial intelligence and related technologies. Shares of technology firms, chipmakers, and data infrastructure companies led gains, reflecting expectations that AI-driven growth could remain resilient even as borrowing costs stay higher for longer. In Japan, technology-heavy stocks benefited from global demand for advanced semiconductors and AI-related hardware. South Korea’s market also saw gains, particularly among companies linked to memory chips and electronics manufacturing, sectors viewed as critical to the expansion of AI systems worldwide. China’s markets showed more cautious optimism. While economic recovery remains uneven, AI-focused companies and firms tied to digital innovation helped support broader indices, signaling that investors are selectively betting on future growth areas rather than the overall economy. Why Artificial Intelligence Is Lifting Markets AI has emerged as one of the strongest narratives driving global markets over the past year. Investors see artificial intelligence not just as a technological breakthrough, but as a structural shift capable of boosting productivity, corporate profits, and long-term economic growth. From cloud computing and data centers to robotics and automation, AI’s reach spans multiple industries. For Asia — home to major semiconductor producers, electronics manufacturers, and software developers — the potential upside is particularly significant. Market participants believe that AI investment could help cushion the impact of slower growth elsewhere, providing a rare source of optimism at a time when many economies face inflationary pressures and tighter financial conditions. The Dollar Strengthens as Fed Rate-Cut Bets Fade While equities climbed, currency markets told a different story. The U.S. dollar strengthened against most major currencies after investors reassessed expectations for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts. Recent economic data from the United States suggested that inflation remains sticky and the labor market resilient, reducing the urgency for the Fed to ease policy aggressively. As expectations for early and deep rate cuts receded, U.S. Treasury yields edged higher, making dollar-denominated assets more attractive to global investors. This shift lifted the dollar and put pressure on Asian currencies, including the yen and the yuan. For global markets, a stronger dollar often creates mixed effects — supporting capital inflows into the U.S. while tightening financial conditions elsewhere. How Dollar Strength Impacts Asian Markets A rising dollar presents both challenges and opportunities for Asia. On the negative side, a stronger dollar can: Increase the cost of dollar-denominated debt Put pressure on local currencies Make imports more expensive For emerging markets, this can tighten liquidity and reduce risk appetite. However, export-oriented economies may benefit. A weaker local currency can make Asian exports more competitive in global markets, supporting corporate earnings in manufacturing and technology sectors. This dynamic helps explain why Asian shares were able to rise even as the dollar strengthened — particularly in economies with strong export bases. Investors Balance Growth and Policy Risks The current market environment reflects a delicate balancing act. On one hand, AI optimism is encouraging investors to take on risk, especially in sectors linked to innovation and future growth. On the other, higher-for-longer interest rates in the U.S. are forcing markets to remain cautious. Investors are increasingly selective, favoring companies with strong balance sheets, clear growth strategies, and exposure to structural trends like AI. Speculative assets, meanwhile, face greater scrutiny in a world where cheap money is no longer guaranteed. This selective optimism suggests that markets are not ignoring risks — they are simply prioritizing opportunity where they see long-term value. China’s Role in the Market Equation China remains a key variable for Asian markets. While AI-related optimism has lifted certain sectors, concerns persist over China’s property market, consumer confidence, and regulatory environment. Investors are watching closely to see whether policymakers introduce additional stimulus to support growth. For now, China’s technology sector offers pockets of opportunity, particularly in areas aligned with government priorities such as advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure. However, broader market gains remain constrained by economic uncertainty. What This Means for Global Investors The combination of rising Asian shares and a strengthening dollar sends an important signal: markets are adjusting, not retreating. Rather than pricing in a sharp economic slowdown, investors appear to be preparing for a world where: Interest rates remain elevated Growth is uneven but not collapsing Innovation continues to drive select sectors AI has become a central theme that cuts across regions, helping to unify market sentiment even as monetary policy diverges. Risks Still Lurking Beneath the Surface Despite recent gains, risks remain. Geopolitical tensions, fragile supply chains, and uncertainty around central bank policy could quickly disrupt market momentum. A stronger dollar could also weigh more heavily on emerging markets if financial conditions tighten further. Additionally, some analysts warn that AI enthusiasm could become overheated if expectations outpace actual earnings growth — a reminder of past technology-driven market cycles. For now, however, optimism appears measured rather than euphoric. Final Thoughts Asian shares rising on AI optimism, even as receding Fed rate-cut bets lift the dollar, captures the complexity of today’s global markets. Investors are navigating competing forces — innovation-driven growth on one side and restrictive monetary policy on the other. The result is a market environment defined not by blanket risk-taking or fear, but by selective confidence. As long as AI continues to deliver tangible economic value and global growth avoids a sharp downturn, markets may find room to advance — even in a world where interest rates stay higher for longer.
By Muhammad Hassana day ago in Humans
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