I'm Better for the Smile You Give

Blog soundtrack:

I realized something today. Well, it was something I knew all along, but I wanted to mention. Oh, it’s nothing earth shattering; that is, I didn’t figure out how you can fit a square peg in a round hole nor did I determine how to solve my Hello Kitty rubix cube, which still sits on my bookshelf, George, untouched by Iz’s hands. She really wants to mess with it; though, I’m sure I could never get it back together if she did mess with it. And, it would kill me, in that feng shui sort of way, if I had to look at Hello Kitty’s whisker where her ear should be.........forever!

I got email from Brenda this morning. She commented on my blog last night. She shared with me that before she became a technical writer that she too had dabbled in marine biology. She found that it wasn’t for her and moved on. It made me think that it’s wonderful how I write these stories, and then I get all these stories from you in return.

After I wrote my story about going up Mount Monadnock with Bill and Bob, I got four or five Mount Monadnock stories from different friends. And, I loved hearing them all. And, in some ways, even though it’s not a conventional job, I treat my blog like a job (one I love). I come here every day, I do my thing, and then I get to hear from all of you, which is like my paycheck in a way.

Someone will say...

“Your cycling story motivated me to get on my bike” when she read about my cycling adventures.

"I was honoured" when I posted his photo.

OR

(and I loved this one in particular) “I made your blog! I made your blog! Yay!” when I mentioned her.

Recently, I sent Bill the three stories I had published in an online magazine. As we biked down the rail trail yesterday, he said, “You tell these stories, and I don’t know if you know it, but there’s always something about you in the stories.” Err, yes, I knew that and then some. But today, when I got Brenda’s email, I realized that I would have no stories without all of you. I write, you read, and you share with me. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end right there. I wouldn’t be me without each and every one of you.

Right now, I don’t have a “real” job, but you make this blog and you make me feel like I have a purpose because I am here…with you. Every time you read, comment, or send me email, you give me something that I miss so much about my last job…a group of people who I loved to be with every day. (Yes, there was the work, but most importantly, I just loved to be with them. Period.) And, I miss that so much. But, I feel like I work with all of you here now…every day. And, I thank you for that and, most importantly, for being here. ♥

Love is...



Always being there for your parents.