IT'S THE JOURNEY, JULIE

I had no real understanding of what a blog was until about three years ago. That's when the first articles about bloggers, such as Julie Powell of Julie/Julia fame, who had managed to nab book deals, began appearing. So, admittedly, when John first suggested that I start a blog of my own, the thought did cross my mind that, someday...maybe...

Recently though, I've had a change of heart. I am beginning to realize that I no longer feel envy for those blogs, such as Orangette and Eyes of Wonder, that went viral and started getting thousands of hits per day. If anything, I think it's probably the other way around. I suspect that, as with so many other things in life, most of them finally came to realize that it was the journey that was important...thrilling...satisfying - not the destination.

How do I know this? Well, because I've just realized that most of the original blogs that inspired me, and which I hated to miss a single day of reading, are no longer even bookmarked on my home page. One by one, they have been falling by the wayside. I have learned several new vocabulary terms from them though, such as blog-guilt and blog-burnout. They were all very apologetic about their ennui, explaining that life had just overwhelmed them, and they had lost their spark. At least one, I think, let celebrity go to her head, causing her to lose her focus or path - she forgot why she was even doing this in the first place...forgot all about the things that made blogging so wonderful - finding your tribe, building a community, making a difference.

Fortunately, I have a few wonderful role models remaining, such as Soule Mama, Beauty That Moves, and Down To Earth. They are living proof that it's not necessary for a blogger to arc and fizzle. Nor must they succumb to self-absorbed narcissism. In fact, one can stay true to one's path and somehow retain the spark, if one just remembers that it's the journey, not the destination. Funny, but when I went to each of these three blogs just now, to form the links, what do you suppose they each were posting about? Defining your values. Sticking to your path. Living deliberately. I trust I can rely on you to remind me of that, if ever I begin to stray?

P.S. In case you are wondering what Julie Powell is up to now, go here. I can't even bring myself to read it.