I recently wrote a post about Pioneers, siting the late April Ashley and Roberta Cowell, indeed I have been writing a lot more these last couple of weeks than I have for some time. I suppose part of that is simply that at this rather dead time of year work wise I simply have more time to write, and let's be honest I do rather enjoy writing.
But I had fallen into the, "I'll just do something every now and then when I feel like" state of mind. Now a daily blog like Femulate or Cyrsti's Condo is a big commitment and not one I am prepared to make. But it has been brought to my attention that our blogs can be useful, not just some form of self serving self publicity. At the end of last year I got this message from a reader
I have read through your blog in chronological order. As this seemed the best way to understand your journey. I have wanted to message you before, but wanted to understand where you have reached before I thanked you or commented on something that may have been years out of date.
I had wanted to send you support and best wishes at numerous stages of your journey, it was strange to realise that so much would have changed since a post was made. I have just come to the last post you made. Your range of post topics, openness and journey have helped me think and realise that I am not alone. Your music, friends, family, work and religion have shown me how balance and people are so important. I came to your blog in November after coming out to my wife, in October. She has been so supportive and understanding. Your blog has helped me to understand my depression and the weight is starting to leave my shoulders and my depression doesn't win everyday. I am finally allowing myself to look into my true inner self that I have been hiding for almost 50 years. Reading your blog has been so helpful. Hearing your experiences has made me understand so much more of myself. I wish you well with your life and future plans. I understand that you may not blog much now, but please know that your actions and posts mean so much to me.
This means so much to me, it makes me realise that I am not shouting at the wind, it has also served to inspire me to write more as I realise that simply by living an authentic life and recounting bits of it we can still inspire and make the path smoother.
Hi Paula
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty much how I started my journey, by reading other people's blog posts and finding I wasn't on my own and other people had struggled, and sometimes overcome or come to terms with, many of the issues I was experiencing. (Indeed, yours was one of those.) Finding that commonality prompted me to open up in comments and later my own blog.
People blog for all sorts of reasons, and sometimes it serves as holding out a helping hand to others. Even if you don't post often (neither do I), it's still there for someone to find and, just maybe, take a little heart from.