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blogging101, Creative Writing, Journaling, Mr. Rogers, Quotes, Reflections, Video Clips, Writing 101
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I made it! With YOUR help I made it to my 1 Year Blogging Anniversary! I almost gave up a couple times, fell behind and got overwhelmed. But what kept me here was YOU. When I started the Blogging 101 class I came to see Word Press not as just another blogging site on the internet, but an honest to goodness neighborhood. And I can’t think of neighborhoods without thinking of Mr. Rogers whom I loved.
About neighborhoods Mr. Rogers said:
I imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person. There have been so many stories about the lack of courtesy, the impatience of today’s world, road rage and even restaurant rage. Sometimes, all it takes is one kind word to nourish another person. Think of the ripple effect that can be created when we nourish someone. One kind empathetic word has a wonderful way of turning into many.
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And that’s exactly what I found here at Word Press. Your words have nourished my heart and soul in ways you will never know. I’ve learned SO much about myself and about you this year. I’ve come to realize our most important function in life is to help each other see just how unique each one of us is.
Each one of us has something in our hearts and minds and souls that no one else has. I fancy myself an emotional archaeologist of sorts. I’ve been digging around in the cavern of my soul a lot the last ten years. And one thing I’ve learned is that everyone one of us has a story to tell. And everyone of us has a story hidden somewhere inside that if others knew it, it might break their hearts. The truth is, if it matters to you, it matters to me because I love and care about you all.
While I’ve been digging around in my cave I’ve come across one thing especially I felt was a true treasure. The greatest gift you can ever give to someone else is your honest and true self. Whenever we enter into a relationship with another person, we bring with us all we are, all we ever were. And while I was sure before that I knew what it means to love both the beautiful and the not-so-beautiful in people, I’ve been discovering this year the only true way to do that is by accepting myself for who I am: the good parts AND the bad.
And you all have helped me do that. I’ve discovered pieces of myself that have been missing since before I married. I can honestly say I feel much more like me after a year of blogging therapy (!) than I have for a very, very long time. Every kind word spoken on my blog or in comments on yours has helped to build back up that fragile self-esteem that has been so weakened in my life over the years. You have no idea just how much your words have meant to me. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This blogging neighborhood is very big! But there are some neighbors who live around my block who have been instrumental in kicking my keister in the direction it needed to go to LEARN these things. There are others who have so fed my heart with their writing it brought something back to life in me. So here’s a special SHOUT OUT to them. I hope you’ll stop by their blogs sometime and get acquainted.
Plato — Plato’s Groove
Fimnora — Quantum Hermit
Jane — Making it write
Michelle — Random_Michelle
Colleen — Freeing My Muse
Christina — The Rolling Writer
Linda — Spiritual Dragonfly
Bridget — The happy Quiter
Badfish — Badfish Out of Water
Heavy Cloud — Aliensoulmates
Ruth, Lori & SueBe — Praypower4today
S. Thomas Summers — Writing With Some Ink and a Hammer
(I HAD to stay to read his poems!)
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One more quote from Mr. Rogers:
Human relationships are primary in all of living. When the gusty winds blow and shake our lives, if we know that people care about us, we may bend with the wind . . . but we won’t break.
That goes for the friendships we’ve made on here as well. And I thank you all for the parts you’ve played in my life this year. You have been such a blessing to me…
Colette B said:
Belated congratulations for your one year blogging anniversary 🙂 Hopefully I’ll be on time next year 😉
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calensariel said:
LOL I wonder if there’ll be a next year! We’ll see. Thanks, Colette, for the good wishes. Back at you, girlfriend!
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Zareen Martina said:
Calen I am so happy that you are here and that we found each other! Love you soooooo ❤ big hugs!! ❤
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calensariel said:
I feel the same, Zareen. I may not always understand some of the stuff you post, but I always come away from your blogs with such a sense of your beautiful spirit and a real feeling of peace. Love & hugs, girlfriend… ❤
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Fimnora Westcaw said:
You did it!!! And I’m so thrilled and blessed to have become part of this journey!
AND
“The road goes ever on…”
May we all be here together, still, to celebrate your second year anniversary!
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calensariel said:
You are one of the treasures I found here this year. I hope we can stick out a second year together. ❤ ❤ ❤
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HeavyCloud said:
I wish you a happy blog birthday, my sweet Calen. And thank you so much for the shoutout, I feel so proud and touched! ❤️❤️❤️
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calensariel said:
You have fed my heart so many times my tender friend. What a blessing you have been. ❤
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HeavyCloud said:
😘
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HeavyCloud said:
You know it’s mutual…
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Clare said:
Wow {{{Calen}}},
Only a year? Surely you’ve been doing this much longer than that. Congratulations all the same and I’m so pleased to have made your acquaintance. After ‘a year of blogging therapy’, may you have many, many more days of laughter along your journey.
Clare
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calensariel said:
Thank you, Clare Bear, for all your help along the way. I’ve learned so much about blogging from you. Especially the technical stuff. You’re my techy guru! {{{Clare}}}
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Clare said:
🙂 🙂 🙂
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Colleen Keehne said:
WOOHOO! Congrats GF! I’m happy to be your neighbor. You have inspired me through the year. You started me on my won writing journey. You are the BEST!
Luv Ya!
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calensariel said:
Well I’m glad I could get your motor running’. But you would have figured out how to turn it on eventually. You’re a bloomin’ natural!!! {{{Colls}}}
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Laurie@CompulsiveOvereatingDiary.com said:
Congrats GF! I’m so happy you are shining brightly and coming to see the beauty that is you. Xoxoxox
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calensariel said:
Well, let’s see… Hm… Been watching you sort things all out for over a year now. You gave me some extra doses of courage! {{{Laurie}}} You feeling better yet?
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Laurie@CompulsiveOvereatingDiary.com said:
Thanks, I’m happy all of our bravery missions are bearing fruit. xoxoxo. Form me, I’m getting there, on a massive dose of antibiotics that is not pleasant. 6 days to go, but who’s counting? 😉
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calensariel said:
Will email you…
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Janet Thomas said:
Congratulations! You’re fast becoming an inspiration for me; when I celebrate my first birthday I’ll invite you over for a barbecue …Thanks for your blog.
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calensariel said:
Thanks for your kind comment, Janet. I’m finding your blog fascinating. I’m passionate about journaling. And I’ll look forward to the BBQ! (That whole theme didn’t turn out quite how I pictured it. LOL)
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kritsayvonne said:
Brilliant! I read more often than I comment, but I’m certainly a fan. Looking forward to next year! X
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calensariel said:
Thanks so much for stopping by! I’ve missed reading everyone’s entries on Matt’s flash fiction challenges. Do you know where our young friend has disappeared to by any chance?
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kritsayvonne said:
I certainly miss Matt, I’m quite concerned but at a loss of how to contact him as there’s no response via his blog. If you hear anything please share. X
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calensariel said:
Will do. Odd for him to turn up missing without a heads up. He’s pretty good about that. Maybe he’s just snowed under at school.
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badfish said:
What a marvelous tribute to yourself and hanging in there for a year of this stuff. And also to mention a few others (like ME…YAY!!) I like this post so much, I’m going to copy and paste it into a post in January when I celebrate my first one year anniversary!!! And…thanks for being here for me. And thanks for reading my stupid stuff to Lord Drollery at Wits End, lady!
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calensariel said:
Oh my fishy friend, I LOVE your stuff. Drollery finds it very amusing, too. (Well, except for the part about the coffee beans! 😀 ) I didn’t mean for it to be a tribute to me, though. I really was celebrating all you guys. There was a lovely Irish blessing I was going to put on here and plum forgot. Might have to do another post. This theme didn’t quite work out as I pictured it, but it was fun. My sister says I’m WAY too serious for my own good. LOL Btw, why didn’t you get in the springs at the temple? I can’t believe you’ve only been on here a year. You’re such an old hand at this. You put SOOOOO much into those blogs! {{{Badfish}}}
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badfish said:
Yeah, exactly…it was a tribute to everyone. That’s what was so cool about your tribute…you and us…US. All of us. YAY! We rock!!
I didn’t get in the pool because I was sure how to go about it. I may have to return.
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calensariel said:
If you returned to do that, would it mean something special to you? Something of your own interpretation I mean. Or why do it? Just curious. You seem to have such a great love and respect for the Balinese people I wondered if it would be meaningful to you in some way… (And I’m kind of snoopy that way. 😀 )
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badfish said:
Returning to Bali is always something special to me. I feel at home there, safe, comfortable. To be a part of their spiritualness would feel fine (I have delved into Hindu stuff and am more Buddist than anything but I do kill cockroaches), and who doesn’t need a little cleansing of the spirit every now and again?
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calensariel said:
That’s a lovely answer Badfish. It’s kind of tender and inspiring. And yeah, we all need some kind of spiritual cleansing now and then. And sometimes that’s a bit scary… {{{BF}}} You inspire me.
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rhcwilliams said:
Thanks for the shout-out, Lady Calen! Only a year? It feels like we’ve known each other forever. Emotional archaeologist is a good term; I think you’re a Dream Doula. You encourage fellow bloggers and curate sparkling gems from others’ blogs, shining them for the world to see. You’re a star! 🙂
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calensariel said:
Thanks, Ruth. I don’t know about all that, but I do like that term, too. I think the deeper I go into the cave that is my soul, the more I’ve come to realize that God didn’t make any mistakes when he made me. I’ve been arguing with God a long time about that. Guess it was just hard for me to accept that God made ALL of me. The good, the not so good, and the downright ornery. Accepting THAT seems to have given me a certain sense of peace inside. It’s a good thing.
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spiritualdragonfly said:
Happy Anniversary C!! Your post put a lump in my throat. Your honesty, your words and You have touched me, and so many others. You and your blog are like a pebble tossed in the water….the ripple effects reach out and touch us in so many ways! ❤️🙏 and BTW love me some Mr. Rogers!! 😄
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calensariel said:
Ditto, kiddo! :D. {{{Linda}}}
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spiritualdragonfly said:
❤️
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platosgroove said:
🙂 birth can feel like dying at first. I’m glad you stuck your head out. The earth now trembles under her footsteps for she speaks as one with authority – not as the Scribes and Pharisees. Your words contain substance and form. They have the weight of truth. The truth of you no one can argue with or diminish. It is singular unique and is a bright light which now shines through the backdrop of the dark places. The darker the place the brighter is the light. Happy birthday darlin.
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calensariel said:
You were an ever patient midwife… Your words mean a lot to me. Love and respect ever and always my friend. ❤
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platosgroove said:
I’m such a girl 🙂
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calensariel said:
NOT EVEN! Unless you’re an Amazon woman, goofus! You’re much too tall! 6’5″ is it? 😀
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platosgroove said:
Maybe just my femine side.
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calensariel said:
Well… Ok, I’ll give you that. You are kind of sweet. 😉
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nonsmokingladybug said:
Congratulations~!
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calensariel said:
I missed reply to this! Just wanted to say, Bridget, your words of “encouragement” have not fallen on deaf ears. I’ve so appreciated the things you’ve said. And you already know I love your blog. The fact that you can write about ANY prompt just blows me away!!!
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Donna said:
Congratulations on your anniversary. I am glad to have found your blig and some of your friends have become mine so it is a connection that keeps on connecting. Tks.
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calensariel said:
Yes! And that’s that’s the beautiful thing about the neighborhood. So glad I’ve met you, Donna. Hope you’re doing well. Are you in Texas?
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Donna said:
Yes but heading to saskatchewan canada
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annacottage said:
Congratulations.
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calensariel said:
Thanks, Anna! So glad you moved into the neighborhood!
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Christina Ochs said:
Thanks, neighbor! I can’t believe it’s been a year, and almost as long since we first got together for pumpkin pancakes!
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calensariel said:
Wow! It really has been that long, hasn’t it! And look at what’s happened in the meantime — you birthed a book! And you’re expecting again! {{{Christina}}}
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Christina Ochs said:
Haha, yes. I’m experiencing intense labor pains at the moment. 🙂
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calensariel said:
Breathe, friend! 😀 Don’t push yet. You still need to have some beta readers. And you don’t have to get a hard copy for me. Meant to tell you that. Just send it. Can’t wait!
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Christina Ochs said:
Should have something presentable for you by month-end!
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calensariel said:
Yay! I get to see the ultrasound! 😀
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Susan said:
Congratulations!!!!!
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calensariel said:
Thanks, Susan! A lot has happened in YOUR life in the last year, too! I hope you’re all settled in now and glad you made the move.
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Bare Naked in Public said:
Good for you!! More to come I’m sure. xoxoxo
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calensariel said:
Thank you, Ms. Godiva! 😀 I hope this next year is full of good surprises for you, too. It’s about time, right?
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