The Best Gift is YOU
Dedicated to YOU: My friends on Vocal (An Apology and a Declaration of Inspiration)
My dearest Vocalites,
I love this platform and I thoroughly love stopping by to read your works. There are so many wonderful and talented writers here that fill my mind and imagination with joy, adventure, laughs, inspiration, and sometimes the creeps.
I am so grateful for Vocal and even more grateful for you: The Vocalites. I have developed so many wonderful friendships. I have learned from each one of you. I have become a better writer because of all of you. I learned and experienced many life lessons, morals, and virtues.
Through your writing I have been able to look at myself and accept my flaws but also recognize that there is good within my heart and soul.
May 2025 will be my fourth anniversary with Vocal and I will celebrate with cheer. For it is in my interactions with various Vocalites that my self confidence has been bolstered and I can honestly say that each step I take is a step with beauty and no longer steps of grey clouds.
The only regret that I have is that I wish I had more time to read people’s stories, articles, and poems. But my life is so bogged down in taking care of my mom. This is a major undertaking. I can’t even begin to explain just how much work this is. Some days my body, my emotions, my brain are completely exhausted. Sometimes I feel like crying out loud. Sometimes I am so torn apart from my mom‘s psychotic fits and her crying and her kicking and punching that my hands and my stomach start to shake. Sometimes I just want to give it all up and walk away from my mom. But I can’t and I won’t. But I really honestly, truthfully wish that I had more time and energy to read every single thing that each of you publish here on Vocal.
But let me tell you when I do get the opportunity to sit down and relax and do some reading, believe me I am so grateful to be reading your works. And it means so much to me to be able to have this time. It is special to me. So just know that whenever I do read something of yours I am reading it with all of my heart and my love for you and for the Vocal platform.
I usually do not like to name names because someone is always left out and it really hurts when you are the one left out. But in this instance I feel obliged to name a few names. Please if I don’t mention you, do not be hurt. But know that if you are reading this right now you are one of the people that I have been speaking about throughout this entire letter of which I am writing to you.
Grz Colm: you have left an indelible mark on my life.
Scott Christenson: You are funny and your hamster entertains me.
Alex H. Mittelman: Wow! What an amazing imagination.
Antoni De'Leon: You are amazingly talented.
komal: I feel your heart.
Stephanie Bradbury: You are so immensely talented.
Loryne Andawey: You were tough on me, but you also did not give up on me. Thank you.
Scott Wade: thank you for the time you have taken to mentor me.
Shirley Belk: You understand me and I understand you.
Celia in Underland: You are a kind person and I really appreciate you.
River Joy: You have a genuine love for others in your heart. I feel it and recognize it.
Lamar Wiggins: I consider you to be a true friend. I trust you implicitly.
Vicki Lawana Trusselli: My buddy and friend!!! I enjoy our chats in Messenger, even if sometimes they get heated. You are a good person.
Lana V. Lynx: You are one of those writers who’s stories I can really dig into and enjoy from start to finish. You are very talented.
Misty Rae: You are one of my favorites. I love your feisty tough as nails attitude.
Kenny Penn: Thank you for your support.
Lisa Lachappelle: You are truly a sweet person and so very talented!
Jim Delaney-Howe: You are a tender heart with a real sense of feeling and empathy for others. Your goodness shines through.
Sam Harty: I love how you put your vulnerabilities out there. You’re not afraid to let the inner you out. You inspire me.
Steph Cole: Just five words: I love you for you!
Sandra Tena: You have such a beautiful and tender soul. You are art personified and I can really connect to that.
Rachel Robbins: I love your classic film reviews. I am so intrigued by you - the fact that you do stand up comedy - that takes guts. You inspire me.
Joe Patterson: I admire your determination. Don’t give up - you will make it…!!!
Cathy Ben Ameh: You are a new friend and I truly hope to get to know you better!
Lonzo Ward: You’ve got a lot going for yourself - don’t ever forget that. Keep on doing what you do!!!
Judey Kalchik: There’s a special place in my heart for you. You are such a magnificent and talented person. Keep on fighting the good fight.
Ray Taylor: You are a major source of support in the Vocal stratosphere!
Jason Morton: Sometimes you can really irritate me. But that’s okay because deep down inside I love you like a brother! I do!
Mariann Carroll: You are such a wonderful friend and so well loved by everybody.
Randy Jellison-Knock: What can I say? You inspire me and I learn so much from you. Because of our age I connect to a lot that you have to say.
Em Keels: You are a dear heart!!! Shout out to your mom Kate Donovan.
Susan Fourtané: You always write about some very interesting topics. I have learned a lot from you.
Rachel Deeming: You emanate good vibes!!!
Babs Iverson: You are always so supportive and always have something nice to say.
Dharrsheena Raja Segarran: you are such a major talent and such a major source of support for everyone on Vocal.
C. Rommial Butler: You are a classic writer. Everything you write is so thrilling with depth and real heart.
D.K. Shepard: I have only known you for a short time. But one thing I can tell about you is that you have dedication to those that you love, to your friends, to your craft as a writer, to doing what is right and correct. You are a good person.
Clyde E. Dawkins: you are such an important part of the Vocal family. Your writing is polished, professional, and filled with details and statistics that raise your articles above the rest.
Novel Allen: you have been one of my favorites from day one. You such a flare in your writing. I feel like good energy whenever I read any of your works.
Dr. Jason Benskin: I am so inspired by your writing. You have such a talent to weave together a story that lifts one up to the highest high but then can also bring one down to the depths of darkness. You are very talented!
Andrea Corwin: I love the way that you express yourself. You let your emotions show both the upbeat and the down. You always keep it real and that’s what makes your writing such an engaging read.
The Invisible Writer: I have known you for a while now and I am still always amazed at the depth of your writing skills. You are truly one of the very best.
JBaz: whenever I see your name attached to a story I know without a doubt that it will be a good one. You are what they call a guaranteed hit no matter what.
Sid Aaron Hirji: I don’t know you all that well yet. But I thank you for your support.
Cathy Holmes: I love your sense of humor. You’ve got a good heart. I know that this is very much belated. But I am so sorry about the passing of your mother. That must’ve been very painful.
Heather Hubler: you are such a bright and intelligent person. Your dedication to your family is so very admirable. I hope that one day you and I may be friends again.
Mike Singleton: I have always had the upmost respect and love for you. You are such a good, kind, and giving person. I miss our chats and all the great things that we accomplished together. I hope that one day we will reunite.
Lightning Bolt (Bill): you are such a funny, funny, funny person. I so enjoy reading your stories and poems and everything you put out there. But there’s also a deep side to you a very real side that resonates with me. You really have a lot of feelings and empathy for people. That is a good thing.
Pauline Walsh: you are a good friend.
Tiffany Gordon: There is so much for me to say here. So I’m going to keep it down to two words. Thank you!
❤️❤️❤️
So, my friends!!! If we ever meet each other in person... It would be a pleasure to sit under a tree with you and enjoy an ice cream cone and good conversation!
❤️❤️❤️
Just as an FYI: I did not proofread this letter - so you have the raw and unfiltered Rick again. This one's from the heart ❤️
With Love, RHC ❤️
About the Creator
Rick Henry Christopher
Writing fulfills my need for intellectual stimulus, emotional release, and soothing the bruises of the day.
I’m an open book. I’m not afraid to show my face or speak my mind
Visit on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vocalplusassist
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By Kathleen Anderson 7 days ago in Humans
Comments (23)
Good article written
Love back to you, Sir. This is a fantastic group of artists-- every author you mentioned. It's an honor to be included amongst them. ⚡Bill⚡
You're the absolute best, Rick!! Continue to show out!
Rick, I LOVE this so much and all the thought you put in for your fellows :) I do understand what being a caregiver takes out us....on so many levels. Praying for you, my friend. I am so behind on my reading. I've recently discovered some new health problems I am having to address. (That's what happens as we age...) I loved what you said and I am so glad for our friendship on Vocal.
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Very glad to know you through this odd and wonderful platform, Rick! So much life occurs beyond this realm of writing, some joyous thing and some devastatingly difficult things. Will pray for you in this season of hardship with your mom!
Aw, this is such a warm hug wrapped in words! Taking care of your mom sounds incredibly tough, but you’re doing it with so much courage and compassion—it doesn’t go unnoticed. And your love for the Vocal community? It’s glowing. And a big thanks for feeling my heart— you’ve got a big ol’ heart and it shows. ✨💖
Vocal is an amazing writing platform! Glad I discovered it.
Thank you for your kind words of affirmation & support, Rick. I'm not sure you left anyone on Vocal out. That's quite a list you have there & has to be a lot of notifications you receive every day with which you try & keep up. I hope that you know that you are every bit as dear to our hearts as we are to yours. Prayers & blessings for both you & mother. I know it can be exhausting & extremely trying, not to mention painful as you bear witness to her decline, but I know that you know that love is always worth the price it exacts.
Well-wrought, my friend! I've always appreciated your dedication to your mother, Isabel, and your love of and impeccable taste in a wide range of music!
How lovely!
Thank you, Rick 🌹🌹🌹🌹. Our heated discussions usually are ended with positive results. I enjoy our texts on Messenger. Hopefully someday we can meet in person and have that ice cream. Make mine lactose free. I love ice cream and conversation with good friends. I consider you a good friend and a buddy too. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🤔
AH, Rick. I'm afraid I have been a bit lax these months, I have missed a lot. But i hope to catch up and keep abreast of as much as I can. You are a shining example for us all, teaching us what it means to have a great heart. You have abounding patience and kindness. Your struggles are hard, and you are admired for staying the course. thank you for the kind words and the encouragement. We return it to you a hundredfold. May the blessings of life be showered upon you and your mom. Be well and let go of stress as best you can. ❤️.
Wow! How did I get mentioned among this list of Vocal heavy hitters. Thank you from the depths of my heart. Rick, it is beyond my understanding how you have the energy to do all of what you do. Not many could walk that road and still maintain a kind and caring heart. May you and your mom find peace. I wish that i had a smidgen of your gifts. You are blessed. May joy and heavenly grace always surround you. 🤗🤗🤗🤗
Rick, my friend. You are a very creative spirit. You're Honest, open, motivated and have a generous heart that we can all see. Family comes first, always. Your dedication to your mom is a testament to the kind of person you are. Loving. Cheers to you my friend for giving back to the community in more ways than one. 💖
Thanks for entertaining me with your games, musical insights, judging panel and your own writing, Rick - AND for being my friend! I feel similarly about many of you, yet I too cannot always get to what I want to read for various reasons. It’s nice to know people still care and enjoy our writing. I often think I’d like to chat to this person or that person in person too. So will you be planning the ICVFF (‘ice-cream vocal friendship festival’ for your four years in May? Send me the deets. 😁 Take care and best wishes. ☺️🌳🍦 Ps Hope your Easter ‘break’ went well too.
Rick: we all do what we can in each season of our life with the time that we have. You manage do do more than most, IMHO.
Rick, I feel for you in your current situation and admire you enormously. Thanks for including me on your list. That's a placing to treasure. Stay strong. Deep breaths. Hugs from me and those continuous good vibes.
Rick sending love and prayers your way. I can imagine how difficult it is to be a caretaker of your mom but your love for her get your through. Don't forget self care. This is very sweet. You have a good heart. Wishing you the best. Is there training on how to handle your mom in difficult situation? Does music calm her down? Ton of hugs!!!
This was a massive shoutout, Rick, and I thank you for it. Knowing what you are going through, you have enough space in your heart for everyone here. You are a wonderful son and a great human. Honored to know you.
Like Susan, at first I was like "Oh shit, is he leaving Vocal?" Thank you so much for this heartfelt letter to all of us and for the shoutout. Sending you lots of love and hugs ❤️
Ice-cream solves everything. This is so true. I started reading with curiosity, it quickly changed to surprise. Is he leaving Vocal? I wondered. I read about the time problem. I do understand that very well. I always thought you are a magnificent son and human being for you dedication to looking after your Mum. I went on reading, and reading about those listed, I immediately had a smile on my face. Such nice and warm words! I never expected to see my name. Then I saw it. I got emotional. I don’t know why. It just happened. It’s so heartwarming that you find my stories interesting and can learn something from them. I honestly appreciate your time, your words, your comments, the conversation, the fact that you read every word I write when you have the chance. Thank you, Rick! I, we, we are always behind your back.
🩷🩷🩷🩷 This was beautiful!! Thx 4 the shout-out! God bless you Cousin!