I hate to say the same thing over and over, but when I sit down in front of this keyboard just now, I have no real message formatted in my head.  It amazes me, quite often when I start on a topic, where it ends up.  It isn’t always exactly where  the journey begins, but I am almost always happy with where it finishes. What is that phrase, the longest journey begins with the first step? Think that’s fairly accurate, and I apologize to whomever said it, if I misquoted them.

I am not entirely sure if I have said this before, and forgive me if you are hearing reruns, but I don’t write, consciously considering who will be reading this.  Sometimes I am brutally honest, but more often than not, it is about myself, and not others.  When I ramble on about my life and my opinions, I can’t censor myself, with thoughts of , oh gee what if so and so reads.  I don’t think that I would be very authentic in my words, if I did that to any degree. And, more importantly, I do not think that people would respond to me in quite the way they have, my kids and their spouses, included.  A lot of people in my life, are seeing me in an entirely different light, and feeling they know me on different levels.

Some of my posts have been extremely forthcoming, about my own shortcomings.  I probably know far better than anyone else what those all are.  I could probably bore just about all of you with the list, if I were to start one.  That in and of itself is a daunting task, to be assured.  That being the case, I feel I have to be entirely candid to be taken seriously on some of the topics I have chosen to discuss.  I haven’t been picking any that could be categorized as fluff just yet, although the thought of writing something for pure entertainment value appeals to me on a couple of different levels.  That might take some actual prework, and not just idle ramblings.  Maybe I should start writing down some of the funny and ironic stuff my grandkids say and do.  There’s a thought for an completely different day,  and a completely different post.

I am hugely surprised by the responses I have been getting from people, regarding how my words have touched, and impacted them.  I think that I am still getting used to the idea that folks think I have something to say.  I am in awe every time I look at my website stats, which I should probably not follow nearly as closely as I do.  I have stated before that I have never classified myself as a competitive person, and I believe that only to a certain extent, now, in retrospect.  In the case of what I am doing here, I  am only competitive in the sense that I am striving, each month to beat my own numbers, in the context of reaching more people.  I love all the feedback I am given, and have responded to every comment that has been posted.  I greatly appreciate each and every one…hint hint!

Some of the comments are what inspired me to start this today.  I have thanked people publicly here once before, but I find it important, to let you, my readers, know how important it is to me that what I say, makes you come away with a positive, feel good kind of vibe.  Not all my discussions start out as touchy feely, lovey dovey sorts of things, but I always try to end on a plus.  I don’t always see the glass as half full, but if I have enough half empty ones, I can pour them all into a few and produce entirely full ones.  There have been plenty of negatives in my life, but I am inspired and appreciative of all the many many positives.  We need to all take more time in our day to day lives, to relish in the positives.  I do honestly believe, that there is a silver lining in every cloud, and we do need a little rain sometimes to appreciate the sun, and help our spirits grow.

That sounds all a little Pollyanna today, doesn’t it?  Maybe I am just being a little retrospective just now, and reminding myself in the process, of the pluses in my life.  This forum has been a true blessing to me, and I hope it continues to inspire the people who read to examine theirs.  I have a big heart, with a great capacity for love, for all the people in my life, and I would like to think that that shines through, wherever possible.

This is pretty short and sweet today, much like myself.  Oh, I just heard the collective groan, I did, but what can I say.  Sometimes we all need to remind ourselves we are fabulous, don’t we?