And the Thoughts.com Writing Contest Winners Are...

Well, after much review and deliberation we have come to a decision on who would be the winner of our Thoughts.com Weekend Getaway Writing Contest!

The only trick was...We simply couldn't choose between our top two! So...We have TWO Winners this time around!

Congratulations,Bitsomind and Badlydrawnstickman!

Both of their entries fulfilled our contest requirements and also took it up a notch. They were judged blindly by a panel of three unbiased judges; who certainly had their work cut out for them having to choose from so many wonderful contributions from many of our fabulous thoughts.com bloggers. We will be keeping all of you posted on where we are going to send each of these bloggers and their guests for a luxurious Three Day and two Night Getaway in their respective neck of the woods.

Thank you to both Badlydrawnstickman and Bitsomind for allowing us to publish their entries here on thoughts. We have posted them below.

Badlydrawnstickman's essay:

"Hey! I just had a crazy thought. What if you could change your past; would you do it?" The suggestion comes from my best mate, Jack Perkins. We are at the pub, The Hound and Barrell, where we have talked and drank for almost 15 years. Jenny, the curvey bar-maid, pulls a pint of Double Diamond and passes it to me. I smile at her and take a sip looking over the top of the glass at Jack. "I don't know," I answer, searching for something I would like to change. "Be careful what you think of, I'm sure we never understand all the implications of our actions." He looks at me with seriousness but then winks and takes a sip of beer. "Some months after I met Sioban, I wasn't sure of things," I suggest to him, "and I sent her that letter." "I remember her arriving at my flat in tears," he answers, frowning. "Well, we've never been tighter than now. I know I love her, but what if I had let my doubts pass and not hurt her with that letter?. "I don't know, mate, but it sounds like a good suggestion." We pass to other things. Jack turns his attention to the Manchester-Tottenham match on the tellie. I share some laughs with Jenny who lingers close to our good-natured calm. Later, in my flat, slightly drunk and very tired, I straighten the picture beside the bed of Sioban and I at Bristol beach last summer, and soon fall asleep. The dream is ghostly and vivid. In it, people and things seem to be mere shadows; they pass through me and I through them. I look at my watch and see a familiar date three years ago when my letter was delivered to Sioban. A postal delivery van drives through me and, when I look up, I realise that I am standing in her street. The postman descends from the van and I follow him as he huffs up the steps to her building. In the small space behind the mailboxes, he distributes the post. A small envelope slides into the box with her number. In my ghostly, vivid dream, my hand passes into the box and removes the letter. I awake suddenly; opening my eyes to an unfamiliar flat in the first light of morning. I quickly recognise the curvey form beside me as Jenny. 'Oh my dear God,' I whisper to myself, 'how drunk was I? What have I done?' I slip from the bed in rising panic and gather my clothes from the floor. I see on myself the unmistakable signs of my infidelity. I dress in silence and then escape into the street. I run the few blocks to Sioban's building and race up the steps. I am about to press the button when I look at the name plate. My hand stops in mid-movement and I read it again: 'Jack and Sioban Perkins'.

Bitsomind's essay:

"Hey, I just had a crazy thought, what if you were the catalyst to change the world?" What if all it took was one thought, that led to one decision that led to one action in your own life that could change the world; if only for a moment. Maybe it would go something like this.you think to yourself how wonderful it could be if just one somebody would love, encourage and respect one anybody, make them feel as if they were NOT a mere nobody and watch the light of acceptance spring to their eyes. You could smile at someone. You could speak to others. You could even smile when you spoke. You could say .Thank You. and .You're Welcome. and mean it. In very simple ways you could touch the lives of others with love, which causes them to touch others lives with love, and so on and so on. You could hold the door open one second longer for the next person. You could choose to see the good, the great and the best in each person you see today. You could think blessing thoughts for others - say prayers for the favor of God, the promises of God, the love of God to overwhelm complete strangers you come across today. You could look for ways to serve, savor and share pleasant moments in life. You could offer a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, and arms to give hugs. You could show extraordinary patience with your spouse, your child, your parent, your friend, your cousin, your coworker, your boss, your teacher, your dog, your pastor, or your church. You could forgive anyone. You could speak life (possible) and not death (impossible) to a dream or a hope of someone brave enough to share their dream or hope with you. You could NOT repeat the latest gossip only meant to hurt and cause shame for others. You could NOT join the bandwagon of beating a brother when he.s down. You could NOT step on the heads of others to get a leg up. You could NOT close your ears and your heart to the cries of your neighbors. You could NOT complain about the government and refuse to vote. You could NOT believe the stereotypes promulgated by the media against a race, a nationality, a gender, a city, a state, or a nation. While some of these things may seem challenging and may cost you a little effort, a little time, a second thought, they are worth it. These simple acts won't leave you broke and quite frankly they may enrich you in ways you could have never dreamed. All it takes is a thought, then a decision followed by an action. What would be really crazy is if you.wait; this is really out there. You might have to go the extra mile for this one. Are your ready? Now really think about this, what if you started with YOU! Now that's crazy, isn't it?