Vol. 1 Ed. 17 August 31, 2025 An Interlude of Gratitude

When you let go, you're not giving up. You're stepping aside, allowing a greater intelligence—the rhythm of the universe—to guide the unfolding. - Unknown

Dear Brilliant Community,

After last week’s conversation on Forgiveness as Expansion, I was humbled by how many of you wrote back—family, friends, colleagues—all reminding me that these words are not just mine, but ours. This week, I want to pause for an interlude of gratitude before we continue forward together.

When I began this newsletter back in May, I thought I might be writing into a void. Instead, these past few weeks have shown me this is a living dialogue. You’ve been connecting my words to timeless ones—like the reader who said The Sonnet, the Foolishness, and the Work reminded them of William Ernest Henley’s Invictus. 

That last stanza says:

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

Another reader connected Forgiveness to the wisdom of stepping aside, letting a greater intelligence guide the unfolding, reminding me of these words from Dr. Wayne Dyer:

“The real magic is in your willingness to be present, to surrender the past to release to the future… to live in this moment with full awareness.”

And then this week, I found myself listening to a song that has carried me for years—Kanye West’s Never Let You Down, featuring a breathtaking verse by the poet J. Ivy. His words have always cut straight to the bone for me. 

He says:

We're all here for a reason on a particular path

You don't need a curriculum to know that you are part of the math

Cats think I'm delirious, but I'm so damn serious

That's why I expose my soul to the globe, the world

I'm tryin' to make it better for these little boys and girls

I'm not just another individual, my spirit is a part of this

That's why I get spiritual, but I get my hymns from Him

So it's not me, it's He that's lyrical. -J. Ivy

This is more than just music to me. It’s a manifesto. He writes about purpose, service, and a determination so profound that he “expose[s his] soul to the globe.” He reminds me that this work I’m doing isn’t just about me—it’s about stewardship, legacy, and being a part of something much larger than myself.  When I hear those words, I feel the same rhythm we’ve been uncovering here together: agency, forgiveness, gratitude, and presence.

Gratitude

So today, I want to pause and say simply: thank you.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for writing back.

Thank you for reminding me that this work matters—not because it goes out, but because it comes back as conversation, connection, and growth.

I hear you. I’m listening. And I am grateful.

This experience has been a beautiful testament to the ideas in Margaret Heffernan's book, Beyond Measure, which argues that such small, genuine dialogues are the very foundation of great change. It's a read I can't recommend enough for anyone building a community like ours. 

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. -Willie Nelson

 A Question for You

Since you’ve shared so much with me, I’d love to know:

✨ What words—poems, songs, scriptures, or quotes—remind you that you are the captain of your soul?

✨ Next week, I’ll return to sharing more about business, vision, and scale. But for today, I wanted to pause for this interlude of gratitude. 

With you in the field,

Soyini