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I began my affair with you over a year ago now; hard to
believe so much, and yet so little, time has passed since that fateful day.
I was a cynical and suspicious fledgling writer. You were
foreign to me, a vague concept in a transforming world taken over by social
media. I had toyed around with you before, teasing with the idea of starting a
relationship with you, but something always stopped me. The fact that I didn’t
quite understand you? Perhaps. A lack of courage? Most definitely.
Blogging meant putting myself out there in a way I never had
before. It meant sharing feelings I had never shared. It meant revealing a
dream, to myself and to others, that I didn’t quite believe in.
I was a chicken. In typical Katie-form, I wondered what
everyone would think, agonized on how others might see me. I worried that I
wasn’t a good enough writer. I doubted that I had anything to say that people
would want to read. But I didn’t let any of that stop me. I saw value in
writing a blog. I saw that it might help me improve my writing, that it might
help me gain a little confidence.
You’ve given me that confidence; you’ve helped me to improve.
Because of you, I now write almost daily, and looking back on posts even from
as little as a year ago, I see how I’ve grown. Selfishly, I would jump into
this relationship a thousand times again and never regret a moment for how you’ve
changed me, for the insight you’ve given me on myself.
But you’ve been so much more than even that. Through you, I’ve
made dozens of friends, friends whom I cherish and have made true connections
with. I stupidly forget this gift you’ve given me sometimes, the gift of
friendship and insight and connection. I tend to overlook these little things
that make you so great.
Little things like reading an extraordinary and touching
story, bravely shared through friendship and love.
Little things like laughs
shared for a great causes and a
unique wit, both of which will leave you wishing you could get together with
those fellow bloggers and go out for drinks, in a totally non-stalker way.
Little things like communities and friendships built on common interests and transcending
barriers like age and location to provide support and encouragement in so many
ways.
Little things that let us all know we aren’t
alone, in our thoughts and ideas, in our fears and insecurities. For every
experience or feeling I have, you’ve shown me there’s someone else out there
with a similar experience and almost the exact same feeling.
Little things like witnessing unbelievable
passion and love through the eyes of a mother, who said without fear just
what I’ve wanted to say all along.
Little things like learning about someone else’s culture or viewpoint,
learning that something we may have judged before or misunderstood isn’t so
different from us after all.
Little things like witnessing the brilliance of a writer as she grows and fearlessly dives in, reaching out for a dream that is reaching right back for her.
These little things all make up my experiences as a blogger,
as a lover of blogs. They are why you make me smile, work harder, and devote
much of my free-time to my passion. I couldn’t possibly list the many people
and words who have touched me through you, but I did want to devote at least a
few of my own words to the difference you’ve made in me and in my life, my
perspective, and my writing.
Thank you, blogs, for being so much more than I ever thought
you were.
With love,
Katie
What are some of the things that make you love blogs and blogging?
Author's Note: If you have the time, I encourage you to take the time to click on the links above. They are just a few of the many people and posts that have touched me as a writer and a blogger. I hope they can touch you in the same way. Oh, and this is by no means a complete list of the people and blogs who have influenced me and left me speechless. I wish I could name them all!
This was written for The Lightning and the Lightning Bug prompt: Valentine.
