Seven years

Posted on by

WordPress just sent me a delightful canned anniversary notice. Congratulations! I’ve been blogging for seven years!

Dang.

That’s a lot of writing. 1,097 posts.

I started this blog to heal wounds. I had low writer-esteem. I was desperately lonely raising a baby in a strange land. And I had so much to say, but only a few poor souls to talk to.

And they needed a break from the details.

I wrote, and a few people read. And a small percentage said they liked what they read.

At that I was heartened. I felt connected and I felt heard. In fact, once or twice, someone told me that my writing really helped them.

Good gravy, isn’t that all anyone on this planet wants?

I talked to the Internet’s kindest people about homesickness and how hard it was to choose a miraculous and ridiculously confusing creature over the PhD I could have handled much more easily. I talked about deaths that rocked me over and over, friends who abandoned me, the relationship I completely failed at, and wonderful days of joy and light.

I wrote about books I loved and problems I couldn’t solve.

And I have so much more to write. I have a list in my phone that is, currently, nine posts desperate to be written. Those of you who’ve been to this little corner of the Internet before know most of my posts are 2,000 words or so, and that 18,000 words ready, in my head, must create quite a bit of intracranial pressure.

But as I struggled a few months ago with four part-time jobs, two bickering children, one divorce, and a blinding case of I Must Do Better on All These Fronts Even If I Never Sleep because I’m Nothing If I Don’t Excel, a wise friend told me that my to-do list is too long. That there’s enough time. That the stuff with real deadlines should come first, and then I should feed my soul. Do things to feel good, and put off the unreasonable 40+ “to do this week” things I genuinely rewrote on my list every week.

Because there’s enough time. The posts will still want to be written in a few weeks. And the words will come.

Later. Because as much as I love this community, and as much as I need to be on this space, I’ve been here for seven years. And there’s enough time to write a great post later.

39 thoughts on “Seven years”

  2. The danger of “later” is that it can become too much later. Regardless, congrats on 7 years of blogging. That’s a lot of words.

    • True, later can often become never. But if I’m meeting my other priorities, then this will either come as it becomes important or fade because it’s not.
      I used to blog every day, and then every other day, and now it seems as though it’s only once a month. But I do come back. Because I love the community.

  5. Think of the insights that will come from the mental down time. I can’t wait to read all about it. I am here, friend, I always will be. An email away, a tweet away, any message form that works for you. xoxoxoxo Congrats on 7 years, I’ll never forget that weekend morning that I found you.

    • I miss you terribly! I hope NY was everything you hoped (your return post sure seemed that way). I’ll set up a phone date soon. Would love to catch up!

  7. ‘I had so much to say and few souls to talk to’. I just joined WordPress today and this has described me right from top to toe inside out. Congratulations on your big seven. Your blog has opened my eyes to see I am not the only one. :)

    #Uplifted#JoyfulReading

    • I totally did! I remember that. And I remember that phlebotomist. Holy guacamole he was flawless. That was seven years ago, kitten! Herkies and glitter!

  10. Congrats on your seven years in writing. I hope I’ll reach that day too in my blogging journey. As a mother with a child possibly with autism, your post on autism really touched me as my son loves to say hullo cheerily to others except to receive weird states in return. But I love him for continuously giving that joyous face. For he gives laughter to this world where many have forgotten or too busy to remember. Continue to be an inspiration!

  12. That’s awesome! 7 years is nothing short of an accomplishment. I just started my blog a week or two ago and I’m loving it already. It’s an outlet and it allows you to “talk” through writing. So amazing, congrats to you!

  13. Congratulations! I have just started my blog to do a similar thing! I have few people to share my deepest thoughts so I do it on here instead! x

  14. I started my blog for pretty much exactly the same reason! A lot of people don’t understand how much you need proper adult conversation when you have a baby. Congratulations on seven years. That’s amazing. (: x

  15. Such an inspiration to me!! il borrow some of the courage you had to make it through all the mess, to help build up my own cucoon, if you dont mind thanks ! brightened up my day! :)

  17. Congrats on your seven year! I joined wordpress because of the same reason as you too. I moved from one side of the World to the other with my husband. No friends, family or anyone to talk to, so I start blogging :-)

  18. Congratulations…Seven years is a long time.
    I started my blog just two months back and feel like ages of bonding.
    I think I am late, I would have started earlier…anyhow Glad to share life moments and experiences with people like you…

  20. How many of us are there out there who have turned to WordPress or any other blog so that we can finally have a discussion with others about feeling most intimate to ourselves? You give me strength and courage to continue forward in my endeavors. Hope you continue moving in the direction and I’ll make sure to keep with all your future writings. =)

  24. Seven years! Congratulations! I seriously hope I can manage as like you I have two kids and a small job and at times I just feel that I have too much on my plate. But I do intend to keep writing.. wish me luck and lots of perseverance :)

Comments are closed.