Three Years, 224 Posts.. Thank You For Being Part of My Adventure

Then….

….Now

It was three years ago today that I wrote my first blog piece. I opened up my heart, took a deep breath and let the words spill out. 

I was scared shitless because I was letting myself be vulnerable to a world unknown. I had nothing to gain by doing this - no monetary compensation, no recognition. I want neither. My sole purpose in sharing my journey was - and continues to be- to have anyone in this great big world be able to relate. To say “me too”! Because although our journey is unique to us and belongs to us I believe there are times when we look for someone to connect with, a kindred soul. And then we exhale.

I’ve shared my life raw and real. I look back on some of what I’ve written and feel different emotions. What I don’t feel though is shame. I don’t feel regret. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. A LOT. Probably always will. Muttered “WTF” a multitude of times both as I’ve been living and writing my adventures..( On the topic of WTF, many people on X refer to me by those letters. I hope it makes them giggle as much as it makes me giggle).

I’ve changed so much from the widow who was “trying to get her shit together” that first year (ok, ok, every year) to the woman I am now. I think I’ve concluded that I will always be a work in progress. I will always be curious, eager to learn and experience. I will soar higher than I ever thought possible and I will fall face first in the muck so badly that everyone in my circle will cringe and they pluck me out of my mess. 

I’ll make new friends and acquaintances and I’ll let some people go. It’ll sting. But I’ll continue to write about it all, not because I’m wildly interesting but because I’m wildly human. And, if I can walk the wire trusting there’s a net below I hope others can as well.

There are so many people to send love to in my life but specifically in the life of this blog. My trusted four who got the ramblings of the first year. The pain and the laughter. I’m so blessed to still have them with me. To my heart sisters, woman who reach out, check in, love on me as much as I love on them. I know we say this to each other all the time but “I love you”. Thank you for your support and encouragement as I live and write. Thank you for your friendship, for sharing your lives. Each one of you are beautiful souls and make the world a better place.

To My Editor- thank you. Even though you haven’t been involved in the blog since February the hours you spent over the past 2.5 years are a gift I will always treasure. Thank you doesn’t seem enough but it’s all I have (although I’d gladly pay you). Thank you for the polishing, the removal of excessive quotation marks and for not telling me what I was writing was shit (and there were a few times it was). You had always planned to teach me how to post and blog manage in addition to writing. The fact that you took on the extra work in addition to your priorities - family, friends, work- for the time you did humbles me.

The look of both the blog posts and the tweets has diminished in quality since I’ve been doing it but the fact you taught me enough to keep going will be something I’ll forever be grateful for. 

But the biggest thank you is for your support and encouragement to me in attempting this project. For telling me I can write and encouraging me to do so. I’m a subject matter expert on nothing including my own life, but you thought my vision of connecting and what and how I deliver my message was worth sending out Into the world. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you, most of all, for the gift of your friendship. I’m blessed. I’m sending you an armful of gratitude and warm, fuzzy Care Bear feelings.

Finally to the over 24,400 people who’ve read the 224 posts I’ve written to date - thank you. Some of you have commented. Some of you have reached out to connect. But the fact that you’ve taken a few minutes to read about my life is remarkably humbling. If I’ve made you laugh, cry, cringe guess what- me too. 

We are all together on this crazy, beautiful adventure called life. On that note, I’ll leave you with something that resonates with me and I hope it does with you as well….

“Remember to extend grace because we’re all just walking each other home”. 

Much love ❤️