Val Thinks' Top Read #1

A beautifully harrowing essay about living each moment

Good morning/afternoon/evening!

As mentioned in my one-year anniversary issue, I’m ramping up to start offering a paid tier to this newsletter (Stripe, come to Thailand!) and will begin experimenting with future paid perks, which for now will be available to all Val Thinks subscribers for free.

One of my ideas for a paid perk is a monthly round-up of the best things I’ve read that month. This is mainly because I want my readers to discover great writing, but also because it will motivate me to read far and wide (which I tend not to do).

I toyed with the idea of doing a Top 5, then a Top 3. But I finally settled on Top 1. Undoubtedly you all have plenty in your inbox to get through, so I’m opting for “less is more.”

May 2022 Top Read

I didn’t have to search far and wide for Val Thinks’ first-ever Top Read. The essay dropped into my inbox on an ordinary Tuesday. It being one of my favourite newsletters, I immediately opened the email to read.

The piece began like any other. Paragraph after paragraph, I glided over the words. But then, half-way through, it gave unsuspecting me a metaphorical kick in the gut:

While you may not be anywhere near the end of your life, you may very well be nearing the end of your time spent with some of the most important people in your life.

Now the essay had my full attention. I could sense tears well up as I continued to read, feeling the force of each word. By the end I was crying inside, but in the best possible way.

Without further ado, I give you:

The time we have left

If you enjoy this essay, consider subscribing to My Sweet Dumb Brain. It’s one of my favourite newsletters that appear in my inbox each week. You won’t regret it.

Until next month,

Val