Keep On

The past few weeks I have drifted and I have been pushed farther away from my blogging world that I am comfortable. I felt the distance growing as days turned into weeks and it was all I could do to eek out a post or two. I was behind in reading all of my favorite blogs. Photographs taken for upcoming photo challenges sat unused in their folders on my desktop. Post ideas fell by the wayside. I was not happy with the direction things were heading but I felt helpless.

I can give you all the excuses- I was preparing my house for my oldest son along with his family to move in indefinitely. I was needed to watch the baby. I had to attend my other two kids’ college family weekends. I had meetings. My best friend moved within days of my oldest son moving in. The list goes on and on.

Are these valid reasons for letting my blog drift away? Some would say maybe. Others would shout yes, lending me a supportive presence. And there could even be the ones who would just look at me with “that” look. The truth of the matter is that although I can understand where the maybe people and the shouting yes folks are coming from, I know that I’m in the camp with the LOOK people. It was their thoughts that echoed in my mind every time I thought of my blog.

Just in case you aren’t on that team, I can fill you in on what their messages were.

“If it’s important to you, you will make time for it.”

“You can’t sacrifice yourself completely to help others. You need to put yourself and your needs first occasionally.” 

“You are sending out the message that your ‘stuff’ is not as important as everyone else’s. if you don’t value it, then why should they?”

Let me be clear. My blog, among other pushed aside things, was not forgotten. In fact, it weighed heavily on my mind. Blog posts were writing themselves in my head—repeatedly. The mini-tantrum I threw when I was unable to fit a notebook that I couldn’t even find to purchase so it didn’t matter anyway into my purse because I forgot the bag I usually bring when I’m away and didn’t have a scrap of paper to scribble on was as much for my own sanity as anything else. After a drought, words were coming back to me and I didn’t want to lose them!

As I was trying to get back on my feet after the Kris scare and find a routine, I looked to my Blogging U classmates- Colleen (Silver Threading), Ronovan (Ronovan Writes) and Hugh (Hugh’s Views & News) for motivation, inspiration…..help. And there they were, just as they have been since we all met in our blogging classes.

Until recently I was a regular participant in Writer’s Quote Wednesday, hosted by Colleen, and Be Wonderful on Wednesday, hosted by Ronovan. These challenges are both really awesome- separate, if quotes are more your thing than being wonderful or vice versa, and combined, they pack a bigger punch. Quotes have always inspired me and Colleen has taken this challenge to an even deeper level, which although I sometimes fail to meet, absolutely LOVE! And Ron’s BeWoW- encouraging bloggers to fill the blogosphere with positive thoughts combined with the quote bring even more meaning to both challenges.

And then there’s Hugh. Did you know that I won his Charity Christmas Tree Topper Challenge last December? Let’s talk about inspiration! He challenged bloggers to write about what is on top of their Christmas tree and in return he donated to Alzheimer’s research. The challenge was a huge success and I was honored to be chosen to write a guest post on Hugh’s blog. No, Hugh, I have not forgotten. I just hope the offer has not expired! And after an absence of sorts, I visited Hugh’s blog to find that he has kicked off Hugh’s Photo Challenge, one that I look forward to taking part in.

That Ronovan’s prompt for this week is “Perseverance” is quite timely for me. I see it as a sign. I could have let my blog lay there, shoved aside and somewhat forgotten, gathering dust (as it did when I first created it) or I could push through and just do it. I knew I wasn’t ready to let go of Dandelion Fuzz, not by a long shot. I might have been crawling there for awhile….and to some extent, I might still be but at least I’m moving forward. Of this I’m sure- when I sat down this morning to write this post I was tired and I was pushing myself to JUST DO IT. As I’ve sat typing, complete with interruptions which could have derailed me for the rest of the day- one call from school to pick up a first grader with possible pink eye and one cry out from a baby who woke up from his nap alone and needing assistance- but I didn’t and that’s largely due to Hugh, Ronovan and Colleen and their unknowing shove from behind. THANK YOU!

All of their challenges are open to everyone, so please take a look at their blogs (links are sprinkled throughout this post) and jump in! You’ll meet a lot of cool people and hopefully be inspired to join in.