Ken Melendez

coilgratitudechallenge

#coilgratitudechallenge

I may get a bit teary-eyed composing this article. You see, my mom is a special person to me and will always hold a piece of my heart. She is still alive today and it is a blessing to know that she still cares for me and wants me to live a long, healthy, joy-filled life.

Below is just a small snapshot of the memories we shared together while growing up at home. My mom took such good care of my brothers and I. I thank her to this day for the care and the love she put in time and time again, even when I may not have realized it in the moment.

Let the memories begin!

The Swing

During summer time in the late 80's and early 90's, my mom would take me out to the swing set our dad crafted with his bare hands in the back yard. She would swing me back and forth with me facing her and my legs over her hips. I remember the swaying feeling, as well as the sound of the creaking wood connected to the swing hinges. It was such a peaceful moment, often ending in me falling asleep as the breeze flowed over my legs and through my hair.

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The Books

Book reading on the couch was quite enjoyable because my mom would make each story come alive, even the ones we've read dozens of times in the past. I especially liked the 3D pop-up books because it added an extra element to the experience. My mom would speak in a voice that wasn't monotone, but colorful, utilizing pitch and volume changes to make book time even more fun.

A handful of the books that she used to read to me are the same ones my wife and I now read to our own kids. Now they get to enjoy the same stories, read to them in a similar fashion to how my mom used to read them. I find myself reading with that same enthusiasm that she had. It will never leave me.

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The Birthday Parties

My mom would make our birthday parties special by choosing a theme that we enjoyed. Spiderman... Ninja Turtles... Batman... you name it. Many of the parties were spent at home, but sometimes she would book them at places such as Fun Times or Chuck E Cheese. I truly appreciate the memories of having celebrated each birthday with style.

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Christmas time

I used to like snow when I was little, mainly because I didn't drive a car until I was 17 years old. Around Christmas time, my mom would take us to different parks around the area to go sledding. Even though it was cold outside, it was heart-warming on the inside to have a mother who just wanted her kids to have a good time enjoying life.

Christmas morning was such a treat as we would wake up to stockings sitting either in our beds next to us or on the table next to the bed. Then, to walk out and see all the presents under the tree and the tree lit up was such a magical feeling I'll never forget. My parents both made this day special for myself and my brothers.

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Cooking

Mmm... And mmm again. My mom was and still is a great cook. My favorite food she makes is called Rice and Beans, a Puerto Rican dish she learned how to make from my grandma on my dad's side. My mom would not only cook dinner, but also she would bake incredible desserts, much like Patricia C. on Coil ;)

And, it wasn't just the food itself that was good, it was the time we spent together with family that made it special. Dinner time especially was a treat because we would all sit around the table as we laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Also, just a tip for all you kids out there... eat the food that mom makes because she is not going to make a separate meal just for you!

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So, in other words... mom, I cherish our time together. You always took the best care of me, and you still do. I'm so thankful for my mom and the memories she created with me. My mom is thoughtful and spent time thinking of ways she could help improve our lives in any little way she could. I can always look back on the above memories and hundreds more from my childhood and smile big both on my face and in my heart.

I love you, mom.

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We are living in dark times. It’s been a rough year so far, more so than many of us anticipated. Covid, riots, and stay-at-home orders are a few of the concerns we have lost sleep over. If I had to sum it up in a single word, I would choose PANIC.

The key to not only survive, but to thrive, is to not get swept away in the news and the negativity. Instead, it is important to replace fear, anxiety and anger with gratitude. If you pay attention to any news at all, pay attention to this helpful fact... you can control the way you feel regardless of yours or other's circumstances.

Gratitude is one of the most powerful forces in the universe and has the potential to dramatically shift people's mindset away from doom and gloom and point it towards joy and happiness. It is for that reason that I would like to instate a challenge for Coil bloggers.

The Coil Gratitude Challenge

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If you have been active inside the Coil community for some time, you will be quite familiar with challenges as there have been others over the past months. Just started on Coil? Welcome, friend, to the future of blogging and Web Monetization.

♖ The Rules ♖

① Once per week, tell us at least 1 story about a fond memory from your past that you can be grateful for.

② Written posts must be a minimum of 500 words and published on Coil.com or your own Web-Monetized blog.

③ Videos must be at least 3 minutes long and posted to Cinnamon.

④ Use hashtag #coilgratitudechallenge when linking on Twitter.

The challenge will begin Sunday, June 7th, 2020 and run through June 30th. By the end, you should have published 4 or more gratitude stories.

The Rewards

Those who complete the challenge will be...

① Included inside of a personalized recognition article written by myself.

② Awarded 20 XRP to your XUMM account. If you don't have an account already, 20 XRP will be enough to get one started.

What can you be grateful for today? I want this challenge to ignite your mind and your heart to recognize the things that you can be grateful for in your life. When gratitude is the focus, your emotional well-being is not only preserved, but also strengthened and refreshed.

Will being grateful change the state that the world is in right now? No, probably not. But, being grateful will change how you feel which in turn will have a positive effect on others around you. Gratitude is contagious and meant to be spread amongst those you care about. ✦

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