What I've Found

I am not really sure I can articulate, even to myself, why I started blogging exactly…what I hoped to gain or share or find by doing so.  I don’t even really remember what was going on in my head those days right before I started blogging—what made me just take the plunge and share so much of myself online.  I know it had something to do with the fact I’ve always been a writer.  I’ve got notebook and journals going back to my childhood.  I’ve always enjoyed stringing together words. 

I know it also had something to do with my general dissatisfaction with Facebook—which is the main form of online communication amongst my peers.  I wasn’t sold on it though.  It seemed to me so quick and trivial.  It wasn’t a way of sharing like I wanted my communication with friends and family to be.  I also imagine starting to blog had something to do with the fact that in researching on the web I frequently found myself on blogs for years.  Knitting, sewing, baking, cooking, gardening, green cleaning, and on and on and on.  I’ve found loads of blogs which have always been a great resource for all those things, even before I knew what a blog was.   But, I was only a voyeur, not a participant at that time.

Or maybe I could subconsciously sense that a community was secreted away in there, somewhere.

One thing is for sure though, I did NOT in a million years expect to make such meaningful connections with people…dare I say friendships.   I never expected to be so happy for the triumphs of people a state or an ocean away.  But I am.  When one’s husband was waiting to hear about a long-awaited job prospect I could not have expected to feel so hopeful and excited for them, but I did.   I’ve genuinely grown to treasure these people—my readers and those whose blogs I read.  In an admittedly limited way I feel I know them.  I know about their favorite seasons and favorite foods, favorite birds and favorite holidays.  We recommend books and products that past the test of time and sustainability and I trust in their advice on these things because they are not just strangers offering their review.  These are people I’ve grown to know.  We share births and deaths and anniversaries and the correlating emotions that ride along with them.  We relate advice and tips for running a home or managing a garden—sharing in all the challenges, frustrations, and joys and successes.  I admire the people who are willing to share their challenges so openly, in addition to their joys, because we all have our struggles and it feels good to be reminded we’re not alone in that—even if the challenges we’re reminded of are about getting green tomatoes to ripen when frost comes early or having knitting projects come out a little “wonky.”  The mixture of ups and downs makes their blogs so real, so honest, and so valuable.   Those are probably my favorites. 

I also guess that I could also say that I also never really expected anyone would read what I wrote.  I mean, it is pretty every-day sort of stuff and I am no expert on any of it.  Why would they?  It all goes back to the first paragraph and my confusion over why I started blogging in the first place; I didn’t really think anyone would read it.  I wasn’t sure if I should write it, but for some reason it felt right.  (Maybe the fact I didn’t think anyone would read it was a factor that actually encouraged me to start writing it).  None the less, people did start to read it.  I was quite surprised by how many members of my extended family have told me how much they enjoy my posts.  That they like to know what I am up to.  That I inspire them with how happy I seem to be living my life.  That they tried out a recipe I suggested.  I figured my sisters would read, I thought my parents might.  Maybe I should have expected my aunts and cousins would be my readers too, but I didn’t.  But even more shocking than my family was how many total strangers from all over the world started reading and commenting, creating a dialog with me.

I felt like I was actually making a (perhaps small) positive difference in other people’s lives, which to me is the height of success or accomplishment.   I already knew that the blogs I was reading were a positive influence on my life.  But, giving is even better than receiving.

That said, I have gotten SO much from my blog-friends (yes, that is what I call you).  I’ve learned about exotic fruits and vegetables that I’d never even heard of and of places where snorkeling and raging tropical storms are regular occurrences.  I’ve learned about making your own household products from beer to calendulla balm to vanilla extract to laundry soap.  I’ve learned that Coinstar machines generally have a few coins left behind in the tray, and it’s worth checking if you happen to pass by one.  I’ve learned about all sorts of things that are fascinating, but that I’ve no interest in personally, like making cheese and how to successfully make and utilize cloth diapers for babies.  I’ve learned about foreign cultures—foods, holidays, houses, traditions, hobbies.  I get a real kick out of the difference between UK and US English.  I couldn’t begin to count all the things my blog-friends have taught me. 

So, where is all this going?  Mostly I just wanted to express my gratitude I suppose.  I am so thankful for finding all of you and so thankful to those of you who have found me.  The sense of community I've found through blogging was beyond the scope of what I could have hoped for when I published my first post.

And I also wanted to offer a very specific thank you to the kind and gifted Pen from Kindred of the Quiet Way for the parcel, coming from all the way across the Atlantic, which waiting on my doorstep when I returned from the library yesterday.    The apron fits perfect and I am so thrilled to use it.   And the autographed books were an absolutely delightful surprise and am sure I'll enjoy them greatly, as I did In Celebration of Simplicity.  And then there was the handwritten note.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t receive many of those.  That note was so sweet, just a simple little snapshot of another simple, extraordinary life.  And I felt so very blessed.   Thanks, Pen.  It made my day.