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The Power of Play, Pen Pals, and Special Offer
Plus, inspiring stories from the Paralympics
Yasmine S. Ali, MD
September 05, 2024
“Find the good and praise it.”
Hello again and happy September!
I hope you had a safe and happy Labor Day holiday.
I have a lot of news to share in this issue of Positive Vibes!
First of all, thank you so much to all who answered my 1-question survey in the previous issue! I was blown away by the support for this newsletter in its present form, and I can’t thank you enough for the encouragement! You have helped me greatly in determining the future of this newsletter.
(See the “What I’m Feeling Good About” section below for the full survey results.)
AND … I’m excited to pass along a deep discount—60% OFF!—on the audiobook for Walk through Fire! See below for more details.
Cheers and best wishes for a wonderful weekend,
Yasmine
For New Subscribers
Here are some links to prior issues you may have missed—some of the best ones 😉 :
Why Positive Vibes? (How this newsletter got its start)
A Very Good Year (Contains many of the highlights of the journey for Walk through Fire: The Train Disaster that Changed America in the year of its release, 2023)
May the Road Rise Up to Meet You (St. Patrick’s Day 2024, with an excerpt from my upcoming novel, The View from the Cliffs)
You can find all the archived issues of Positive Vibes here. (Scroll down on that page after clicking on the link.)
What I’m Feeling Good About
An overwhelming 94.4% of those who responded to last issue’s survey agreed with the statement, “I love the entire Positive Vibes experience, and read the whole newsletter each time.”
Thank you again for taking the time to answer the survey, and for letting me know that I should continue issuing this newsletter in its present format! 😃
In other exciting personal news, I’m delighted to be able to offer you this special discount from Tantor Media, the publisher of the audiobook for Walk through Fire: The Train Disaster that Changed America! Those of you who have been following this newsletter for a long time know that I had to audition to be able to narrate my own book! And, indeed, I won that audition … so, if you haven’t had a chance yet to hear me narrate Walk through Fire, you can do so at 60% off!
Just click anywhere on the box below to get your discount (good through Sept. 23):
Finally, you know how much I love dogs, and I had the wonderful opportunity to interview professional dog trainer Marc Goldberg on his latest book, The Joy of Playing with Your Dog, on how to strengthen your bond with your dog through purposeful play. You can read our interview here (and see why I highly recommend this book):
What You’re Feeling Good About
Happy birthday to all those who are celebrating in September!
Some fun facts about September birthdays:
Pen Pals
I’m also delighted to be able to share with you this generous offer from Positive Vibes member Dylan Crowell. You’ll remember Dylan from the June 13 Positive Vibes issue, “When Dogs Fly”:
Dylan Crowell, shown here with performer Loretta Divine, backstage at a performance of “The Preacher’s Wife.”
Dylan is one of those people who embodies the spirit of Positive Vibes, radiating positivity, choosing to face life’s challenges with the greatest optimism, and always seeking to serve others with joy.
Dylan is remarkable in many ways, and one of those that has touched me most deeply is his commitment to the pen-pals program he started during the pandemic, as a way to support those who were feeling isolated and lonely. That program has taken off and he has continued to write regularly to all his correspondents—sometimes sending out over 200 cards and letters per week!
I’ve been grateful to be one of those pen pals over the past year, and have found that corresponding—by hand—with Dylan has returned to me the joy I used to find in writing letters (something I used to do regularly until about a decade ago, and now, thanks to Dylan, am starting to do again).
And now, Dylan has graciously volunteered to extend his pen-pals program to any and all Positive Vibes members who wish to correspond with him! (You don’t have to do so regularly or even more than once, but I think you’ll find, as I did, that there is great pleasure in sending out a simple card to someone who has taken the time to do the same for you.)
As Dylan put it, “Please share my P.O. Box with everyone, so that if anyone feels lonely or needs someone to talk to, they can write me. Or if any simply just want to become pen pals.”
So here is Dylan’s address:
Dylan Crowell
P.O. Box 517
Burns, TN 37029
(This section is where I’ll be featuring good news, tips, and bits of wisdom from readers—so please reply to this email and share some with me! It can be anything, big or small. Whatever you’re feeling good about.)
More Good News
You’ll find some of the most inspiring stories in the world at the Paralympic Games, which are being held in Paris:
Pawsitive Vibes
Another Positive Vibes member, Vicki, sent in this picture of her two cats doing one of the things cats do best: staying warm.
Got a pet pic you’d like to share? Please feel free to reply to this email!
Riddle Me This
What is the word, phrase, or saying depicted below?
Give Get
Give Get
Give Get
Give Get
Answer at the bottom of this newsletter.
For Your Playlist
Here’s the link if you’re on Spotify.
Last Word
Tell a Friend!
Know anyone who could use more positivity in their lives and would enjoy this newsletter? Send them the link to subscribe for free: https://yasmine-ali-author.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Fan Mail Address
How to get a signed bookplate sticker: see the intro to this post.
Answer to the riddle: Forgive and Forget.
