Focus on the One

This week, I’ll spend it with a mai tai in one hand, and my wife’s in the other as we celebrate our early 20th wedding anniversary on a beach in Maui.

Our anniversary is officially in June, but twenty years ago, here and I were married on the beach in Maui, and we’ve been trying to get back there for years.

Ten years ago, we changed our anniversary plans to go to Maui instead of a European vacation, which was a fantastic decision. Then, last year, we had plans to go when disaster struck in Lahaina, and we rearranged our plans to go to Oahu instead (also a fantastic family vacation). Still, we’ve missed Maui, and this is the year…fingers crossed that things run smoothly.

It’s a family affair, and the kid will be with us, which is great. I have one objective over the next week: to celebrate us.

That said, there will be plenty of downtime, and though I’m not there to work, I will spend some time at work because I love what I do. Of course, the one thing I love the most is The Hungry, and I will spend a lot of my relaxation time thinking about how to foster growth for the newsletter because I know it’s something special.

This past week, the Art Snacks feature went to “C.” from AG Traphaus, an artist who uses platforms to boost artists and celebrate black art.

I shared that mini-feature with him, and his gracious response was so honest and genuine that it reminded me of exactly what I do what I do.

The Hungry isn’t just about sharing news and tidbits. It’s not just about exposing you to new ways of looking at things or sharing artists you may not ever encounter otherwise. The Hungry is also about lifting creative people, especially when they are at their lowest.

I don’t often get notes like this from people I share, so when they come through, it’s special to me, and I will keep chasing that feeling forever.