What’s Holding Me Together Right Now
—Share 4 Somethings May 2026
Here’s what I’ve been noticing this month: the support systems that help hold me together.
Sometimes that support is a device. Sometimes it is words, both written and spoken. And sometimes it is direct experiences with other human beings. I’m thankful for them all.
Each month I share favorite somethings from Jenn’s four categories. I also share my previous month’s One Second Everyday video.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
1. Something I Love
- SIMPLE TIMER TO KEEP ME ON TRACK
I use the timer on my phone a lot. It helps free my brain from always having to keep up with time.
For the past few years, I’ve also found it extremely helpful to have a timer on my laptop as well. This one has proven to be perfect for me: Horo Timer.
It sits easily accessible in the menu bar and does one thing only: counts down time. I set the minutes I want and hit return. It dings when the time is up.
It’s basic, which may be why it works so well. I appreciate how it keeps me on track.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
2. Something Sustaining Me
- FINDING PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND
In addition to our regular trusted friends, it’s also comforting to find a niche set of friends for a specific life stage or situation. Over the past year, I’ve found that in refreshing ways, mostly online, although some in person, too.
Most recently, I attended a retreat a few weeks ago with other moms where we heard keynotes from some of my favorite experts in their fields. It was informative and encouraging.
But what’s sustaining me most are the friendships that came out of that weekend and the ways we’re continuing to stay connected.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
3. Something Carrying Me Forward
-
LIBRARY BOOKS WAITING FOR ME
Books, books, and more books!
For a few years, I’ve been able to pay a small fee to access ebooks through the Nashville, TN, library system even though I live in Alabama. However, due to recent budget cuts, they ended that option for non-Davidson County residents. I understand why; ebooks are expensive for libraries to provide. Still, I’ll greatly miss having access to their much larger collection compared to my local library system.
Before my access ended this week, I loaded my Kindle with ebooks from Nashville, then switched it to airplane mode so the books would stay on my device until I finish reading them. So for now I’m still stocked with books I really want to read but couldn’t get anywhere else (for free, anyway).
I can’t imagine what I’d do without my Kindle and public libraries.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
4. Something I’m Making Space For
- LEARNING FROM AND ALONGSIDE OTHERS
Almost a year ago, I signed up through a program to connect with an incarcerated pen pal. Since then, my pen pal and I have exchanged several letters and become friends.
It’s outside my comfort zone, but it’s important to me—not as an act of charity, but as a way of sharing common humanity with someone different from me for our mutual growth.
Recently, I’ve begun meeting in a Zoom group with other people on the outside who also have an incarcerated pen pal. I have much to learn from these more experienced writers because I’m still figuring things out as I go.
I’ve also been reading The Deliverance of Hope: The Spiritual Discipline of Writing People on Death Row by Jeff Hood and Wendy Ramage, who are facilitating the Zoom group. The book has already been so helpful.
Our care and support can come from the most unexpected places: a timer app, new friendships, a library full of books, and a Zoom room full of strangers writing letters.
Taken together—and along with many other things and friends—they help me keep going.
Who or what is supporting you this month? Share in the comments.
I’m linking at these blog parties
- Is Your One Word Trying to Get Your Attention? Try This Photo Challenge
- A Little Bit of Everything: 8 Book Recommendations Across Genres
Things are a bit difficult at the moment and what’s holding me together is our Community Centre. I’m a keyholder now but it’s a relaxed place to work. I do a regular Monday afternoon-evening and have three groups we host then; I popped there on Monday to meet my Young AA leaders so they know my face. Then I do support for parties and other events, so I’m off to welcome a Princess Party this afternoon then taking over part-way through a family party on Sunday. It gives me a routine and gets me out of the house and seeing different people, as well as giving a way to support my community. I could have cried when I realised how little I worked this month (42 hours, not all of them paid as some admin) as AI continues to gnaw away at my customer base, and the little income I got as a result, so it’s really good to at least know I’m off there later to help run the event!
What an interesting position you have at your Community Centre, Liz! It sounds so fun to host such a variety of groups and meet so many different people. I hope the Princess Party was a lot of fun. 🙂
Ugh – about AI eating away at your business. Although I appreciate AI in many ways, I also fear we’re not doing near enough to contain it, and will continue paying the price for our negligence in so many ways, now and in years to come.
I enjoyed your eclectic roundup of the things that are keeping you going, Lisa. Right now, knowing our kids and grand-kids will be here tomorrow is most definitely keeping me going. It will be so wonderful to see them all. Blessings!
I hope you all have wonderful visits and enjoy looking through your photos together. That is so special. I was just saying to my husband that I love having physical photos too because it’s more fun (to me) to sit on the couch and look through them together than having to squint to see them scrolling on our phones.
Beautiful reflections, Lisa. WE all need moments of peace and grace in our dreading.ay to carry us forth. I am also a reader, and find a lot of joy
Thanks, Pat. Yes, I hope everyone has things that bring them as much joy as books bring to us who love to read!
Great ideas and thank you for sharing, Lisa. I just started reading a new book a friend gifted me: Theo of Golden. Looking forward to the journey this will take me on! I also love the idea of a timer on a laptop! I haven’t’ utilized that before but sounds like a great idea. I do use my kitchen timer and also my cell phone timer–especially when I just want to spend a few minutes decluttering or such. Have a lovely weekend.
Thanks, Donna. I think I’ve heard more people talk about Theo of Golden than any other book in a long while. I can’t wait until it’s my turn! I have it on hold at my library. It’s inching closer. 🙂 My expectations may be out of the roof by the time I get it. ha.
Yes, using a timer is one of my favorite motivators to encourage me to do a little decluttering or work on a project for a short amount of time (versus no time at all).
Building different types of communities has been a major positive experience in my life. Some do cross over but not all do and I’ve learned that is healthy and it meets my needs in different ways.
Exactly. That’s how I feel too. I like when my friend/interest groups intersect, but sometimes they just don’t, and that’s okay too. We have different needs and it’s nice to find others who share similar interests.
What a great observation! and to be grateful for all that supports us. Too often we feel we are battling alone but that great cloud of witnesses – alive and alive in the spirit – surround us with strength and wisdom and love. FYI. I just got back from our library tooting three books. LOL and the timer? yes yes. I love playing the time game with my phone. makes it fun and easier to focus. Such mindgames for us humans. LOL
I’m an expert at playing mindgames with myself. ha. As long as they work, I’ll keep at it. And timers are often involved in those games. 🙂
Now I’m curious about your 3 new library books!
And yes, we really do have far more support than we sometimes realize. I want to stay more conscious of that.
My library books are Cheers to Monday, The Five Invitations and Make Time. Guess there is a theme there. LOL
Those sound like books I would be into as well, Jean. I’m currently reading “Big Time” by Laura Vanderkam; it goes along with your theme. 🙂
Just an update the two more time management books were disappointing as they just rehashed much what we already know. BUT the Five Invitations was very good – all about discovering what end of life living/dying can teach us. I found his stories so interesting and full of wisdom.
I appreciate the update, Jean. It’s just as good to know what NOT to read as it is to know what to read. 🙂
You continue to show me how to move just a bit beyond my comfort zone, Lisa. I’m surely not as far down the path as you are, but you always invite us and give us permission to open yet another door or say yes to a fresh opportunity.
Thank you, friend. Happy weekend to you!
I appreciate your encouragement, Linda. You are such a kind and giving soul – I’m grateful for all the doors you open to welcome others in.
I’m pretty sure I’d go broke without our library and their inter-library loan system. I actually just went this morning and picked up a few more books.
Me, too, Joanne! If I had to buy every book I read, I’d have been broke years ago. I’ve been a heavy library user since I was a young girl. So grateful for free books.
This post reminds me of the grand essentials of happiness: something to do, something to love and something to hope for (a k chalmers). I have all of this in abundance. Something that sustains me is the cycles of the season. Garden is planted, cattle are grazing in the pasture, spring turns into summer. Community ticks the 4 boxes you highlighted – something I love, something sustaining me & carrying me forward & something I make space for. A good book after a trip to the library ticks a lot of boxes for me as well. The latest: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
I love, love, love all the things you just shared here, Mona. Nature, human beings, books…it doesn’t get more abundant than that for me too! Thank you.
Good post.
I use a timer to write sometimes, like motivation that I WON’T stop or get distracted until time is up.
International blog comments are holding me together right now. There is a lot of heavy and bad news and ongoing changes in my country (US) right now. So it helps to go online and virtually connect with people who are elsewhere and having alternative and better experiences.
“Think before you speak. Read before you think.” — Fran Lebowitz
J (he/him or they/them) @JLenniDorner ~ Speculative Fiction; Reference Author and Co-host of the April Blogging #AtoZChallenge international blog hop
Brilliant to visit the international community these days because, yes, our own country (it’s U.S. for me too) has so many problems. It can be quite depressing when I check out the news. I realize every country has their own issues, but ours seem to keep ramping up. (And the timer I set a timer just now to answer comments has already gone off. Oh well, I’ll keep going anyway. ha).
Lisa, wonderful post! We just went to our local library two days ago to pick up our registration prizes for the summer reading program. It’s always so nice joining each summer. We read a lot of e-books along with some physical copies. That mom’s retreat sounds like it was wonderful for all who attended. I’m featuring your post this Friday. Thank you for sharing with us.
Yes, the mom’s retreat was a special weekend at just the right time for me. I’ve connected again with a few of the moms already and we have plans to be in touch more in the future. That’s a bonus I hadn’t expected!
Thanks for featuring my post at your linkup. I appreciate how steady you are with keeping your linkup going.
What wonderful reflections Lisa. I enjoy your share 4 something’s.
Visiting today from Crazy Little Love Birds.
Thank you, Paula. I appreciate your visits. I don’t know how you get around to everyone from your linkup! I admire that superpower you have (i.e. dedication and perseverance). 🙂
Ps: Thanks so much for sharing with Sweet Tea & Friends this month. This is deep and thought inducing. I visit with everyone while I’m watching TV, I visit several posts in an evening or when I’m having my coffee each day.
Thanks for sharing how you get in your visits, Paula! I’m always curious how people are able to visit so many. 🙂