Healing Morning Extra - Beginning

 Healing Morning Extra™️. The genesis of the Healing Morning foundation began in 2009 with a conversation and extended lunch with Shannon Foster-Boline, who helped me create the shell for my Healing Morning blog. Since then, the form of expression I have employed has shifted and grown into three weekly image quote card series that have been a joy to create. This quote card thought shared today continues to match the sentiment and energy that I wanted to give voice to thirteen years ago, and the journey continues. I hope those of you who follow the Healing Morning page enjoy what I share! ✨

*Shannon, thank you for helping me get my feet on this writing path all those years ago! ❤️*

Space Between

photo:  www.berlinembroidery.com

I've been silent here for several months.  I began blogging in 2009 and am approaching my five year anniversary in a couple of months.  In the last eighteen months or so, my writing here has slowed significantly.  I was never into the posting 3-5 times a week concept with my blog, but it was rare for me to go several weeks without writing something.  Now it has become the norm for me to go several months between posting here.  I haven't stressed overly about that, as I accept that everything has an ebb and flow to it.

I don't foresee ever completely abandoning this space, or the Healing Morning concept.  I expect that it will morph and grow with me throughout my life.  For the nonce, I am in a quiet phase with Healing Morning.  It isn't that I have nothing to say here.  Some of my thoughts find their way into a manuscript that I am focused upon with the intent of being published.  Other thoughts are valid and worthwhile to be published here, but my heart is simply not into doing it on a frequent basis right now.

Cycles.  Life is a constant series of cycles, of starting over, of learning, of achieving and of moving on.  My current quiet cycle is one that happens to me every couple of years.  I go inward, sorting through my thoughts, surveying where I currently dwell, the people around me, the work I do, and how all of those factors impact me.  What is my emotional health as a result?  How is my heart feeling on a deep, visceral level?  Am I fulfilled?  Am I wishing for more in any area of my life?  And can I fulfill those wishes on my own, or are they better realized with my hand held by another?  The answers to these questions take time, and a strong dose of honesty.  I'm working my way through the questions and the answers.

This is where I am.  Reflecting.  Realizing that endings are imminent.  Good-byes are necessary.  Some have actually already occurred, and one very recently resonated right out of my immediate sphere on its own.  The relief with that one was pretty profound; although there is sincere love for that person still, I recognize that the energy between us was just not meshing in a productive manner any longer.  The other person felt it, also, and an ending occurred.  It was healthy for both of us, and it was time for it to occur.  Other potential endings are still being ruminated in my heart and my conscious mind. 

It's a curious thing, how the state of pause can be full of a large degree of energetic activity.  I am in a holding pattern, yet there is a great deal going on around me.  Those cosmic threads are out there in the universe, attracting other energies and weaving new fabric together.  My part in this is to sweep out a lot of cobwebs and let go of old, threadbare clothing that no longer fits, no longer serves, and be ready to clothe myself in this newly woven fabric as it returns to me with all the bright new threads.  Each color a new possibility, a new experience, new relationships, new emotions, new strengths....all to mesh with the Me that stands in all that I have lived to this point.  I don't have a clue where it all will lead.  

So, I remain quiet.  Words are a constant, but they might not always make it here into a published post.  All those colored threads within the words are still forming a reality that is on the brink of manifesting.  I am in that space between breaths, between heartbeats, between blinks of the eye, between thoughts.  In my mind's eye, I exist as a brightly colored wisp of misty vapor, drifting along the currents of my own emotions.  The day-to-day reality keeps me tethered to this Earth School so that I do not drift away completely, and so that I have a path to retrace and come back to self.  Back to the here and now.  Back to that space between.  Back to that moment before the next beating of my heart, where possibilities are hovering, waiting to engage and be realized.

Paper Gift

Photo / Icon courtesy of
Authentic Blogger

 The traditional gift for a first year anniversary is....paper!  How beautifully appropriate this is.  I reacted with a delighted smile when I looked this information up online.  Today is the one year anniversary of my Facebook blogging group, Authentic Blogger.  I co-founded this group with my buddy, Duane Scott, on December 21, 2009.  At the time, he and I were both fairly new at the whole blogging game.  New enough to still be fumbling around and learning a great deal, but by that point we had also both garnered enough experience to recognize some frustrations with the blogging groups we were finding on the internet.  We shared those frustrations via email and phone conversations, until one fateful day, we both asked the question, "Why don't WE create a group?  We could do it differently."

So, that's what we did.  I'll be honest and tell you that neither of us really knew the scope of possibility.  It was a very naive process that stunned us both with the immediate response it received....and continues to receive to this day.  It would not be an understatement to say that in the first week of Authentic Blogger existing, we were getting an enthusiastic response that was slightly overwhelming, but also exciting.  I can't count how often Duane and I emailed, texted and called with "Did you see that?" or "Oh my word, LOOK at how many members we have today!" or "Turn your laptop on and Google us - we exist on the internet and it's beyond cool!" comments.

There have been growing pains in this first year of existence. We've learned as we've gone along, and we've made mistakes here and there.  I am happy to say that we have only had to permanently block/ban two people in this first year, and those were people who were attempting to use our forum to spam members.  We have been very clear from Day One about our Mission Statement.  Authentic Blogger is an online forum created to offer a community for writers/bloggers of all walks of life, where you can meet fellow writers, grow your readership, learn helpful tips, and strenghthen your writing skills. 

We feel that it is important to be authentic in the blogging world, and that means that we do NOT embrace the "if you follow me, I'll follow you" mentality that is so prevalent in the blog-o-sphere.  If you fall into that category, Authentic Blogger group might not resonate for you.  We want people to READ our blogs.  If you're out there focused on merely collecting empty names and not doing any reading of the blogs you follow, how can you expect anyone to spend time reading YOUR content?  With that in mind, we encourage authentic interaction.  Join our group, post your blog links each time you write a new article, meet fellow members and visit their blogs.  If you find content that you enjoy, write thoughtful comments on that blog and follow them.  Reciprocating in this authentic manner, we feel, is the best way to grow your readership and market your blog. 

So, perhaps now you can all see why I smiled when I found that paper is the traditional gift for a one year anniversary.  What could be more apropo for a blogging/writing group anniversary?!  Granted, the process of blogging is an electronic format these days, rather than applying pen to paper in the old fashioned sense, but I still smile at the paper gift idea.  Whether we scratch away at antique vellum with quill pen, or we write with ball point on lined paper, or we tap away on an LED screen with desktop or laptop, or we use the increasingly popular Smart Phone (I'm still resisting that trend myself), writing is writing.  If you are a blogger, writing is part of your very essence.

You probably wake up each day with thoughts to write about.  You probably have inspiration hit in the most unlikely moments and locations, requiring a frantic search for a scrap of paper to jot the thought down before it can disappear at the whim of the Writing Muse.  You probably wrestle with words, juggling and adjusting, tweaking in infinetesimal degrees until the flow suits your preference.  Many of you may dream of being published one fine day.  Many of you are also completely satisfied with the process of just blogging.  Lots of our members have multiple blogs they manage.  Some of you might even make a business out of that type of social media consulting.

Bottom line, if you're a member of Authentic Blogger Facebook Group, you're a specific type of serious writer who cares about the way you craft your blogging image, and who also cares about the way you build your readership.  Our concept resonates with you and you are the reasons our group is still flourishing and growing today, one year later. 

Duane and I had big dreams for Authentic Blogger when we founded the group.  In the past year, some of those dreams have shifted, some have been discarded, and the way we do things has changed several times. There have been many moments of outright hilarity as we wrestled with myriad blogging tools and concepts, and the shared humor kept us going. More changes are inevitable, because Life is always evolving.  My personal wish for the group is that we continue to grow, slowly and surely, attracting similar bloggers who have an equal wish to meet authentic, creative souls.  I also envision Authentic Blogger growing to a larger presence that will provide even more opportunities for all of our members.  How these hopes and dreams will manifest is yet to be realized, and that's half the fun of it for me. 

For now, I am thrilled to say that one year later, Authentic Blogger still exists and is continuing to succeed.  My partnership and friendship with Duane continues to thrive.  My relationships with many of our AB members are equally strong.  Indeed, I have established friendships with many of our members that I am confident will be lifelong connections.  The blogging world has provided amazing, unexpected opportunities for me with my personal blog, and with Authentic Blogger.  Many of these experiences are ones I couldn't have imagined for myself, and believe me, I have a great imagination!  So, a final wish for the future of Authentic Blogger is merely to continue along the same path we've already established.  Growth, surprises, success, friendship...and writing.  I want all of those and I am positive they will occur.

To each and every one of our Authentic Blogger members, I say a sincere and appreciative Thank You for giving us a chance, for sharing your creative talents regularly on our wall, and for continuing to tell your blogging friends about us.  To my AB partner, Duane, thank you for sticking with it, even when it required you to take some deep breaths and add another ball to the pile you were already juggling, and thank you most of all for the shared laughter!  To Dave Roy and Anahid Boghosian, our two wonderful admin friends, thank you for being in the wings, ready to pinch hit for us and join in the ball juggling!

If you're a blogger, or if you enjoy reading blogs, and you stumble across this post in one of the numerous places I'll be routing it, take a moment to visit Authentic Blogger Facebook Group and join us.  I promise you'll be happy you gave it a try.

We are in the week approaching Christmas, and I find it lovely that Duane and I chose, out of the whole calendar year, this particular season to create Authentic Blogger. I think it is a time when the harmony and universal consciousness is at a higher vibration, and I'm sure the date we chose to create this group embued it with a bit of extra sparkle and energy.  Season's Greetings to everyone, from the bottom of my heart.  I look forward to many more years of blogging and friendship with all of you.

No Mittens Allowed!

Photo courtesy of Bing images
and Stephanie Lynn

A great many blog articles that I write are inspired by random conversations with friends, and this one is no different.  It occurred through a series of emails and blog comments posted between my friend and fellow blogger, Dave Roy (Dave's Buttoned Up Mind blog) and I.  He writes about a lot of tech-ish stuff, video games and such, as well as a fun series on music's one hit wonders.  We're so opposite in writing style, yet we find a great deal to enjoy about one another's respective blogs.  Dave has mentioned a couple times that he appreciates my ability to write long, thoughtful, involved blog posts that flow to the point that he never feels restless or burdened while reading them.

That made me smile, I must say, because every writer dreads hearing that they're writing content so ponderous and lengthy that it is exhausting to their readers to plow through.  I am definitely verbose - I admit this right up front!  In the past, I have actually challenged myself to write tighter content, to produce blog articles that are briefer in format, and I have succeeded.  In fact, some of those examples represent some of my favorite work.  That being said, writing short blog articles isn't all that comfortable for me. There's definitely merit in constantly challenging oneself, as it sharpens the mind and writing skills.  I don't deny that concept, and I do practice restraint much more than anyone could imagine when writing. 

Short articles, however, are not natural to my writing style.  In that conversation with Dave, I likened it to wearing mittens.  For the record, I am not a mitten person.  Not even close!  In fact, I loathe the things.  During my childhood, mittens were the norm for children to wear and actual fingered gloves weren't all that commonly available in stores.  So, mittens prevailed.  My wee hands would be stuffed into those abominations, crammed together and sweating, muffled by the thickly woven material, unable to breathe or FEEL anything.  I would fumble and drop things because my mitten wrapped hands were made clumsy and incapable of securely grasping items, or turning doorknobs, or picking something up.  I absolutely despised it and begged my Mom for fingered gloves every winter, because as the original overly protective single parent, she was determined that we stay bundled up every second we were outside. 

As an adult, regardless of the cold weather, I rarely wear gloves of any type.  In fact, it is rare that I even wear a coat.  East Tennessee has fairly temperate winters these days.  But beyond that, my fingers would much rather feel frozen and be able to breathe than be cloaked in thick mittens, shrouded from the world, unable to experience or express emotions.  Yes, I talk with my hands.  It's intrinsic to my nature, much as is writing.

Ergo, in case you were wondering what my point is with this post, writing short blog articles is akin, to me, to being forced to wear mittens.  Yes, I can write a brilliantly succinct, tightly woven, punchy article that is beautiful in its brevity.  Off the top of my head, there are several of these that come to mind in the Healing Morning archives, and I am justly proud of them.  However, where I truly shine as a writer is in the longer, flowing articles that Dave described.  I like to mosey a bit as I broaden the body of the storyline.  While brevity can deliver a knife edged presentation, there is a lot to appreciate for a bit more of a leisurely stroll down the path towards culmination.  Nuances are there to explore and elaborate upon.  Colors and textures and shadings....tangible memories to paint with words, scensory wonders to revisit and prompt within the reader's mind...those are so much fun to weave together in written format to me!  And to do that in my own unique manner requires that my hands not be mitten muffled. 

So, for the most part, my writing is going to be that longer format.  I always do my best to ensure logical progression and flow to the thoughts expressed here, and I do appreciate the kind affirmation that Dave gave me with his comments on same.  It's always a happy thing to be appreciated and accepted, unconditionally, for who you are at your very core.  At my very core, I am a wordy writer!  Bare fingers tapping madly away at the keyboard, or scribbling with equal fervor with pen and paper....the end product will rarely be brief, unless I am consciously making the effort, out of begrudged self-restraint.  As I am much happier when not practising self-restraint in writing, you can expect the longer, flowy posts here.  I hope that you'll enjoy my efforts and find that the reading is enjoyable.

For this writer, the rule of the day, no matter the weather, is simply, "No Mittens Allowed!"  Freedom of fingers to produce a rhapsody of words suits me.

**Thanks to Stephanie Lynn for graciously helping me out with the above graphic image of the No Mittens Allowed icon.  Stephanie is a gifted graphic artist who makes beautiful banners for Facebook and blog application.  You can contact her on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/#!/steph4c.**

Small triumphs

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Yesterday on September 4th, 2010, I lived a new experience.  I had my first radio interview on Starclear Radio, which is the online radio channel brainchild of Amy Lamb and Jeffrey Seelman.  Starclear Radio is a channel that focuses on all manner of metaphysical, spiritual and paranormal topics.  I was very honored to be asked by Amy to be a guest on their show.  While I have dealt with media interviews in the past for clients and various companies I've worked for, this was the first time that the focus of the interview was on me. 

http://www.starclear.com/starclear_radio.html

Amy and Jeffrey are very skilled interviewers and they gave me this platform to talk about my writing, my blog here at Healing Morning, my Facebook group Authentic Blogger, and to introduce myself and my thoughts and opinions on a wide range of spiritual concepts.  Many who are close to me are aware that it has been a lifelong goal to become a published author, and most are also aware that at any given time I have one or more manuscripts in progress.  There is a specific concept and manuscript that I am currently writing that I hope will be my first published work.  The process of getting published is full of challenges and fitful starts and stops, but I feel strongly this interview on Starclear Radio is a very positive stepping stone.

Most importantly, this experience has proved to me that I am capable of doing the media and promotional side of things.  I've always been great at promoting others, but the thought of being the one right there in the spotlight had me concerned that no one would be all that interested in what I had to say.  I now know this to be untrue, as I was inundated with emails, texts, phone calls and posts on various social media sites during and after the interview, with family and friends telling me I did a great job. 

Today, Amy and Jeffrey sent me the link to the recorded show from yesterday.  I will be able to use this link as a promotional tool for myself, for Healing Morning blog, and to perhaps use as a calling card as I search for the right literary agent, the right publishing house, the right publicist, etc.  I admit that listening to the show was interesting, as our recorded voice always sounds a trifle odd to our own ears.  All in all, I was very pleased with the easy, comfortable flow of discussion and conversation that happened during the interview.  I give utmost credit to Amy and Jeffrey for keeping that smooth flow going and making the whole experience so enjoyable.

I am happy to say that I have been invited to make another guest spot on Starclear in the near future and I am hopeful that I'll have good news to impart about reaching that goal of being published by then.  Until then, for those who may not have had the chance to tune in and listen to the live Starclear Radio broadcast, here is a link to the recorded and archived show.

http://www.starclear.com/Starclear_Radio_Dawn_Sievers.mp3

It was a small moment of triumph for me, showing me that, yes, I am on the right track to pursue my dreams.  As I mentioned to some friends on my Facebook wall the other day, one of my favorite things to tell people is this:

Be unapologetically passionate about your dreams.  - SDS

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I am taking my own advice and embracing this small triumph with a smile. I am celebrating the moment! It is well met, appreciated and enjoyed, because I recognize it is opening new doors to as yet to be imagined facets of those dreams.  I look forward to the continuing journey.

It isn't Writer's Block

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been on a break of sorts from blogging recently.  Nothing has been wrong to cause this.  Life, as it often does, has gotten in the way to a certain extent.  Beyond that, however, I've had an extended 'moment' of...something.  I have said it before and it bears repeating that I am not a daily blogger.  I write when inspiration strikes and enjoy that particular personal rhythm, as it works for me in my own peculiar manner.  When inspiration doesn't strike, I simply don't write.  Again, it works for me.  It is, however, a bit unusual for inspiration to be on such an extended vacation.  What I have discovered, over the years, is that this isn't Writer's Block, per se.  For me, it is a pause of sorts...a pause, a breath held for long moments, waiting for magic to enter.  And it always does.

Most writers would label this the creeping monster of doubt known as the aforementioned and dreaded Writer's Block.  I don't identify it as that, but I will admit to being quite aware of a different pace of sorts causing a hitch in my normal writing rhythm.  I also admit that as time stretched on with no familiar burning need to write thoughts out in blog article format, I did begin to question what was taking place.  Being the researching, analyzing personality that I am, I studied this experience from all angles.  Poked at it.  Nudged it sideways.  Shifted it a fraction of an inch that way, then back again.  Walked away from it for days only to return and regard it through occasionally narrowed, contemplative eyes.

Finally, this morning, I had had enough.  Time to joust with this unruly, temperamental, irregular jog to my writing stride.  "Don't worry so much, just sit down and write," I have often suggested to writing students that I have coached.  I know this to be a valuable bit of advice, as it can be helpful to knock loose the logjam of thoughts in every writer's mind.  Once you begin writing, it can magically open up the floodgates and inspiration once more comes rushing forward.  So, adopting a 'physician, heal thyself' philosophy, I began musing with much more intent than I have implemented in the past month.  And suddenly, before even setting fingertips to keyboard to begin the writing process, the thought occurred.

Perhaps we have all inaccurately tossed the cold, sterile phrase of Writer's Block around as a throwaway concept.  Perhaps it isn't a block at all.  I have written in a past blog about the concept of useful limbo, as I experienced that very thing in the recent past.  I believe there are definitely moments in our lives where God/Universe intentionally isolates us in order to forcefully focus our minds in a direction we would otherwise never have time to notice and open up to.  This, I boldly suggest, is that ephemeral moment, that opening up to allow magic to flow and embrace the writer's mind.

I have been experiencing what I would now identify as a mini-useful-limbo stage.  It definitely has not been a block of any kind in regard to writing, as my mind and imagination have been as fertile and active as they always are.  Indeed, there are stacks and lists and jotted notes in abundance waiting to be completed and given voice in blog format.  They just aren't ready yet.  My mind, my Spirit has been attending to another task.  And in the process, I have stumbled across the novel concept - to me, at least - that there truly is no such thing as 'writer's block' in the concrete sense of the description.  How liberating for writers the world over to revise their definition of this moment when their pens refuse to write, when the thoughts refuse to flow, when inspiration is elusive....it is not a block, it is a sabbatical! 

By definition, as is my wont and love of words:

Webster's Dictionary describes the word 'sabbatical' as 1) an adjective, meaning of or relating to a sabbatical year; or as 2) a noun, meaning a leave or break or change from a normal routine or employment; or again as 3) a noun, meaning a year of rest for the land observed every seventh year in ancient Judea.  (http://www.merriam-webster.com/)

I think we are all aware that life is a series of neverending cycles, of beginnings, middle stages and endings.  Curiously, I have noted over the years that my own life tends to run on periods of 5 - 7 year cycles.  I recognized a little over two years ago that I was in the midst of a new cycle and with that huge chunk of grander change, I am also aware that there are mini-cycles taking place.  This most recent one has been that sabbatical of sorts where, I am now aware, my psyche has been doing some necessary shifting.  Adjusting, realigning, perhaps disposing of certain patterns that no longer serve me well, and embracing new patterns that have fresh, strong purpose.  This is an inward journey for some, and others choose to physically travel the world and discover themselves outwardly.

All of this is time consuming, but while I am in the midst of the process, time seems to slow down and stretch, as though I am in a slight time warp.  Where normally I might be jittery and a bit impatient, not wanting to lose momentum with my blog following, the stronger pull has been to honor this mini-sabbatical.  In the back of my mind, something is resonating softly but with bright purpose and I know it requires clear energy and full attention to bring it together into a cohesive melding.  Do I know what all this means?  No, I really don't.  That may sound a bit off kilter, as I have dedicated a full blog post to talking about what I am experiencing. 

I guess I could've whittled this down to a few simple paragraphs that said I have recently taken a mini-sabbatical from blog posts.  It would be true, but it wouldn't have allowed me to go on this winding trail of self-discovery.  It also wouldn't have allowed me to write this stream of consciousness that I often find turns out some true gems.  And to be a bit self-deprecating, I admit it wouldn't have been half as much fun, half as enjoyable as sharing my thoughts in this manner, here, with you.  I like to think that many of my friends and readers enjoy going on these jaunts with me in written format, meandering the long way around and about the proverbial Back 40 before reaching the destination.  Some days that destination is clear and I know where we'll end up, but more often the journey brings me to a different 'home' each time. 

As I'm writing this, part of my mind is noticing that this post bears quite strong resemblance to a couple of past posts.  My writer's preference is to never repeat myself - it's just a personal peeve, but this time I'm going to go ahead and give this one voice.  I am posting it because I recognize that sometimes repetition occurs in our lives for the very simple purpose of imprinting a lesson.  Commonly held belief is that doing something 21 times creates a pattern of habit in our brains.  I cannot argue with the thought that a bit of repetition on a common theme in blog posts might help not only me, but maybe click for other people who read this post and compare it to past blog posts that have been steps in this mental reflection of mine.  So, I will write this one and post it and see where it resonates, and what results occur.

This time it has brought me to the realization that for me, at least, right this moment in this past month of curious inactivity from a writing standpoint, it hasn't been writer's block.  It has been a spiritual sabbatical that has allowed my Soul to do some honing and refining.  Where I will admit that I was beginning to question the possibility of some true manifestation of blocking, instead I sit here, writing and smiling as I embrace a much friendlier, useful description.  Not writer's block.  Instead, a pause for magic!  Maybe a lull...but better adapted as a sabbatical.  I like it, and I think it will become a new phrase in my personal library.

Happy 101 - Blog Award!

I was given a lovely blog award today!  I know that many bloggers feel that blogging awards are too time consuming, unnecessary and just superfluous.  I can honestly say that I doubt I will ever become so jaded as to refuse an award that is given with genuine kindness and enthusiasm.  In light of this, I admit to feeling flattered and honored, which is how you should feel when someone gives you an award!

There are a few simple rules to accepting the Happy 101 blog award.  My first step is to write this blog today, and list the top 10 things that make me happy, then go on to share 10 blogs that I enjoy reading.

So, first things first - My Happy List:

My family - I am blessed to be part of a very large, loving Irish clan of people who are, in my opinion, the most wonderful, loving group in the world.  When I was a child, I always felt sorry for anyone who hadn't been lucky enough to be born into my family...that's how special the Reagans are!  We come together often, laugh often and purely enjoy one another.  It doesn't get better than that.

My curiosity - my whole life has been driven by this force.  I am curious about everything under the sun and because of this part of my nature, I have enjoyed learning, researching and experiencing so many fascinating things.  The truly exciting part of this side of my nature is that I'll never learn it all and there will always be new vistas to conquer!

My loving nature - this would perhaps be a subset of my family foundation, but I choose to call it a separate entity on the Happy List.  I know that one of my strongest gifts is my ability to love, and it is often commented upon by those around me.  If people are going to comment about something about your nature, I would certainly wish for it to be such a positive thing as the ability to express love!

My home - I live in East Tennessee and feel it is beautiful beyond words.  There is a peaceful vibration to this area that is tangible, and although I have lived many other places, this is where I have always returned to live.  It heals my Soul and makes me the happiest to live here.

My creativity - I'm a writer and an artist of sorts.  William Butler Yeats said a beautiful thing:  "I am a man well-blessed and content, for thank God I can read."  I would add, "...for thank God I can write and create."

My friends - an equal blessing, as they are all such unique, fascinating individuals who bring startlingly lovely shades and textures to my life. 

Music - it soothes the savage beast, or so they say.  For me, it is an extension of the writing process, because in my head, the words take on a musical quality.  I even wrote a blog about this, entitled  "Musical Thoughts" last year.  I climb deep into the heart of the lyrics and hear the infinetesimal shifts and layers of sound in the music - everything about music delights my Soul.

Growth - I am thankful and happy on a daily basis that my life is constantly moving forward in growth and experiences.  I am happy that I choose to be brave enough to keep walking foward, even during the times that those steps take me into moments of gloom, or hardship.  Stagnating as a person is something that I assiduously avoid, so I kind of like the fact that I continue to forge onward!

Hugs - they are essential to life, as far as I'm concerned.  Being embraced by someone you love, who loves you in return, gives the opportunity to become enveloped in the pure energy of love combined.  That creates a unique energy that blesses the hugger and the huggee and the world is a better place because of it...we are better people as a result.

Sunshine - this is a childhood nickname I was given because I have a happy outlook on life.  I consider it part of my spirituality and awareness.  I choose to embrace dreams, continue to develop my own spiritual awareness, embrace laughter, positive thoughts and practice living my life in a manner that attracts good, positive people and experiences.  That can be boiled down to that one word...Sunshine.
__________________________

The second part of the award process is to choose 10 blogs and post them here, with links and a short blurb about why you like them.  I may end up duplicating some of my choices that others have also mentioned, but I'm choosing them in good company!

Coffee with Marty - Marty's blog is his POV on the world as he greets each day with a steaming cup of coffee.  Marty is also my trusted partner in crime with our Facebook group, Authentic Blogger, so obviously I like the way he thinks and approaches all things bloggish!

Journey to Joy - Bill's description reads, "In this blog I share what I've learned in my life to be a more positive/joyful person living each day to the fullest & staying connected to my soul."  He offers some good, old fashioned, homespun advice with a twinkle in his writer's eye as he invites you to share the humor in his perspective.

Speech of My Fingertips - Surein is in Malaysia and as such, on the opposite side of the world from my home in East TN.  He writes these fascinating, conversational blog posts about his home in such a way that I get to visit there vicariously.  I learn something new with each of his posts, and I love that, but I also love his sense of humor and his unique perspective.  Here is his description of his blog:  "I believed Robert Heinlein when he said that writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards. My mind is as fickle as a Malaysian traffic light. To keep in touch with my own thoughts if I forget, I write here."

Artisan of the Human Spirit - I just discovered Tony's blog about a week ago, via two different blogging buddies.  Tony's blurb on his blog reads, "Awakening to life's lessons. In life, not every classroom has a desk, nor every church a steeple!"  I enjoy his thoughtful approach to ruminating on the path he has taken to reach his here and now, and I also enjoy his dry sense of humor.

Michael's Kitchen - my good friend, and special Papa, Mike's description reads, "My life in my Kitchen and my take on food, cooking, kitchen tools, and the whole food thing.... And Please remember to always practice safe lunch...... USE A CONDIMENT!!!"  He writes delicious recipes, shares great tips and makes the idea of venturing into the kitchen to prepare something fancy seem to be not so scary.  He makes me laugh, too.  Mike is also the kind soul who gifted me with this Happy 101 blog award, so thank you, Papa!

Jeff Nix - Jeff writes some very thought provoking posts, with my personal favorites being those in a series that he calls "Inspired" posts.  His blog has a variety of topics, so pull it up and poke around.  I know you'll find something to capture your interest.

Spirit of Autism - my friend Debi describes her blog as, "Spirit Of Autism is a resource and home therapy program for parents, caregivers, and emergency responders dealing with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette's, and other pervasive disorders."  Even if you're not dealing one of these issues yourself, Debi's information is applicable to everyone.  Dealing with learning disorders or behavioral challenges have lessons to teach everyone.

Learning How - Jenn is venturing into becoming a programmer/designer and her Learning How blog provides helpful tips and suggestions for blogging.  I love her posts and always learn something new when I visit.

Thyme for Health - Thyme's description reads, "A Master Herbalist who lives and travels in a motorhome with Nandi, her hairless cat, and shares information and advice for being and living healthy."  She writes blogs on some of the most fascinating topics, from herbology, to aromatherapy, to healing and spiritual properties of all of the aforementioned.  I truly enjoy her blog, as I learn much when I visit.

Moonbeam Soy Candles - my southern sister-friend in Georgia is working hard to create a successful company that offers soy candles and much more.  I like the fact that her products are eco-friendly and green.

Those are my choices, in no specific order.  I hope you get the chance to visit some of them - tell them Dawn sent you!

Who says?

Rules.  They're everywhere, have you noticed?  Do it this way.  Don't do it that way!  Insert Tab A into Slot B to create a neat little box. 

Suggestions seem to naturally follow rules.  Helpful comments from complete strangers, or even worse, from close friends, telling you, "This is what you need to do."

Who says?  That's my invariable response when I've had it up to the proverbial "here" with the rules and helpful suggestions.  Have you ever noticed, by the way, that those "helpful" suggestions quite often turn out to be ridiculously obvious methods that, hey, little old you thought of years ago? OR they're so absurdly not-helpful that you feel yourself on the verge of turning into the Tasmanian Devil and drilling a hole in the floor?

Meet my stubborn side - happy to know you.  If you're a close friend, you're quite aware of this side of my nature.  Okay, I will admit that there are certain moments where I'm a big fan of having everything fit into a nice, neat little box formed by Tab A and Slot B.  Those moments tend to be more of a personal nature for me, and fall into the category of feeling that I've educated myself thoroughly on a given subject.  That's when I adore neat little boxes because it gives me the sense that I have accomplished what I set out to do with my latest exciting venture.

I also admit to being a big planner in other areas, such as writing down on the calendar when I'll be meeting someone for lunch, or a business meeting.  A girlfriend has been known to good-naturedly point out that, "If I let you, you'll schedule dinner plans for us a good six months down the road, week by week!"  (Just so you know, she doesn't let me, but she's right, I would probably try.) Well, that's a different area of life we're discussing, and yes, I'm very enthusiastic about that particular type of thing. It's because I'm your closet-bound, overly responsible, dependable-as-the-rising-sun type of person. I suppose it could be argued that planning and rules are two separate categories. I wouldn't disagree. Beyond these described sets of circumstances, and particularly when it comes to my writing, I'm not a big fan of rules.

As a writer, I'm probably right out there on some subversive fringe when it comes to following writerly rules.  I do not....brace yourself, and picture me whispering the following....write from an outline.  I know, it's very scandalous.  If "they" knew, "they" would probably find a way to revoke my invisible membership and bar me from being able to claim writerly status.  Most certainly, they'd take my secret decoder ring.

Yes, that is the among the first set of rules for creative writing that we are taught in school, to write from an outline, and those rules grow longer in college writing courses.  Outlines, footnotes, bibliographies...rules, rules, rules.  I bowed down to those rules in school, but my writer's soul would shudder in distaste, dreaming of the day that I could be shed of those restrictions and burst free in a riotous splash of color, style and verve.  My heady swan dive off the high platform formed a beautiful, classic arc in mid-air and I plummeted straight into the deep pool of....technical writing.  There perished any chance of winning a writerly Olympic medal for color, style and verve.  I think that at the very least, I could have been a contender for that Gold medal.

You guessed it...tech writing is the Mecca of rules.  RIGID, unswerving, unbending...rules.    So, I soothed myself to a degree by flouting what rules I could.  The first and foremost of those is that I still stick to not using an outline.  It bugs the fool out of me and I see no good reason for an outline. You may feel differently and embrace outlines with great affection. If so, have at it, my friend!  My brain knows that I have a beginning, middle and logical ending to any written document.  Rather than outlines that waste my time, I prefer to take notes.  I guess this could be construed as a form of outline, as I do refer to those notes as I write. 

For me, the pure, heady pleasure of writing is that when I sit down to write anything, be it a formal technical document, a blog for myself, an article for a client, a journal entry, or a manuscript for a book idea, I only know the beginning and ending.  What I don't know, in exacting detail, until I write it is what happens to get from the beginning to the ending - that's why I write!  I'm on the same ride, the same fascinating journey, as my readers. 

Therefore, when I hear the helpful comments of, "You should do it this way."  Or, "You need to think about adopting this method."  Or, "I think that this works best and you should do it this way from now on." ....my instant reaction, at least mentally, is, "Who says?"  I'm being honest here!  I am not being so bold or churlish as to say that every snippet of advice offered to me is summarily rejected or ignored.  I certainly do not think I know everything about anything, and I am the first to admit that I learn new techniques about writing on a regular basis.  I'm being overly facetious, peppering here and there with tongue in cheek comments, I admit that freely.  I rarely give voice to this side of my writing nature, and tonight I just felt like doing it. There's a time and a place for the lighthearted approach to life....and blogging.

Here's my main point...what I DO know a lot about is myself.  I know my own writing style.  I know how my mind works in the creative process that is unique to me.  None of my clients need to know, nor would they care most likely, that I don't use an outline when I write their documents, manuals, etc.  All they care about is that the end product meets their criteria.  When advice is offered, I do what most people do - I listen, and if I find the content worthwhile, I'll incorporate it into my life.  If I find it to not be worth adopting, I discard it.  The sky doesn't fall if I don't embrace every suggestion that is helpfully offered to me about how I decide to structure my business day.

When it comes to creative writing, such as this blog or a manuscript, I embrace the open-ended style even more.  I usually have an inspiration that gives me my starting point, but I rarely know how the finished blog or manuscript will end.  In fact, when I started to write this very post, I had a completely different idea of where the content would go, and it was nothing like this finished version.  The beauty there is that I will be able to pull that original thought back out for a future blog.  I rarely sweat small details such as an article turning out differently from my original expectation.  Indeed, I'm usually delighted when that happens, because the unexpected result generally turns out to be superior to my original concept.

So, those pesky rules....who says that we have to listen to them?  With technical writing, yes, I do follow rules.  Certain writing methods do demand that you follow rules.  When it comes to creative writing, however, I say find what works best for you.  Embrace your unique style and create a routine, or lack thereof, that works best for you.  That would be the advice I would offer, if asked.  Then, those who listen to my advice have their own opportunity to smile kindly at me, while mentally rolling their eyes and sighing out their own, "Who says?"   And now that I'm thinking about it, I still think my swan dive off the high platform was a thing of beauty, because it was uniquely mine.

It's "funny" how....

You know the old adage that says,

"Find what you love to do and make it your life's focus - this will ensure you'll never 'work' a day in your life."?

Would that this advice were easily accomplished!  I speak in jest a wee bit here; most people know from a very early age where they have a stronger interest and inclination in the business world and they pursue that direction with general success. 

I was what you might call a late bloomer in this regard.  I knew from a very early age that writing came easily to me.  I went through grade school, high school and college years being told by countless teachers and professors that I had a gift and talent for writing.  You would think this would have rung some sort of bell over my fair head that the logical thought of, "HEY!  Pay attention here - you're supposed to be making a living as a writer!" would magically click.  It didn't, as bizarre as that sounds, not for more years than I care to admit. 

I spent long, countless years in misery in the retail world...cosmetics, high end jewelry, art galleries, moving eventually into management with many of these.  For the longest time I could not get shed of a sales driven environment.  While I did that type of work very well, the daily warnings that we were all only as good as our last sale, or only as good as my store's last weeks' numbers just sucked my Soul completely dry. 

I spent more years floundering about in the corporate business world until slowly, experiences began to coalesce and it finally became clear to me that this is what I love best...writing. Thus began the next phase in my personal journey to manifest this existing talent into a money making concern.  That, also, took longer than I would have preferred.  We contrary humans always want success to instantly come as soon as we identify where we want that success to happen, don't we?!

An interesting little sidenote is that all those years of retail misery have turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I now am embarking on a new writing genre for social media management.  The endless repetition of role playing for customers, the endless psychological tests taken to ascertain what "type" of core personality I and everyone else had (think Myers-Briggs stuff), the endless demands to come up with snappy, savvy rebuttals to all complaints or refusals to purchase - those have all stood me in good stead with writing equally snappy, savvy marketing copy.  File that one in the "Who knew? / Go figure! / Funny how!" column.

It's "funny" how the thing that came the easiest to me my whole life - writing - has turned out to be my true strength, foundation and joy.  "Funny" also, that it took so many years of going around and about the Back 40 to get here.  It's "funny" how all those detours, although pure misery to experience and plod through at the time, turned out to provide vital, core experiences from which to draw an immediate skillset and plug it into a still very new and growing phenomenon.  It's "funny" how all the things I felt, at the time, were distractions and inconsequential nonsense gave me an ability to adapt in a rapid-fire manner to address a given clients' needs for writing appropriate copy as a technical writer in various industry applications.

Finally, the fact that I have what I like to call a Low Boredom Threshold and a boundless curiosity about everything under the sun has proven, yet again, to serve me very well with this new endeavor of writing for social media.  I have always had this driving need inside to conquer new territories, learn new things....a need to devour them voraciously until I reached a personal satisfaction level that I knew that topic or experience to the best of my ability.  That is one of my favorite things in the world to do.  Then I'm on to the next adventure, racing forward to conquer the next challenge.  It's "funny" how being a Jill of All Trades has, once again, proven to be a handy proverbial ink well in which to dip my writer's quill. 

Is there a point to this ramble?  Perhaps it would be to recognize that life's obstacles and road blocks, while at that moment instill untold levels of frustrations, are providing valuable training and life skills from which to draw for future success.  It's "funny" how that seems to work out. 

Delving deeply

You know that old saying, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"?  I've heard it attributed to many people, so am not going to bother with crediting here.  It's the concept that I'm focusing on, more than tracking down who said it first.

I began blogging in September 2009, and thus opened up a whole new world for myself.  I've been a writer my whole life, and began actually making a living with writing nine years ago.  I enjoy the writing process as it applies to virtually any and all applications.  It shouldn't have surprised me, in light of this, how much blogging would sink into my very soul and fill me with such joy, but it was a bit of a surprise.  A happy one, most definitely, but still a surprise.  With blogging, I don't have to answer to a client's demands - I write what, when, where and how I choose, on any topic that pleases me.  My focus is wide ranging and the more I write, the more topics and categories I find of interest. 

Most recently, I wrote a blog post about the very common occurrence of grief, sadness and depression during the holidays.  It turns out that that article was very positively received, which I wasn't sure whether to expect originally.  The fact that it was embraced so immediately and fostered so many wonderful follow up comments has encouraged me to begin thinking more deeply about where and how to apply my writing skills.  One dear friend even mentioned liking the fact that I've chosen to write about some of the more difficult topics, the ones that aren't always so pretty or pleasant to contemplate.  This friend (her name is Jane) went on to compliment the approach and treatment I used in that particular blog post, which prompted me to begin pondering.  If you've read any of my blog over the months, you'll know that that's all it takes to get my brain spinning and thus...a blog will be born. 

For the most part, the overall tone of my blog is uplifting and positive.  I feel that those things can be accomplished even while writing about topics that might not always be the most flashy or entertaining to read about.  There is value in writing about challenging subjects because it gives others a bit of a spiritual nod, a written word that places a consoling invisible hand on their shoulder and lets them know that they're not alone in how they're feeling.  I'm learning that perhaps I have a gift in this regard, to write in a therapeutic approach and manner, and it is one I want to pursue, delve more deeply into and hone.

The title of this blog is Healing Morning, and I am bemused and quite happy with the fact that as I continue to grow as a writer/blogger, this title continues to be appropriate.  Yes, I have always been a writer, this is absolute truth.  My healing abilities, which I began to consciously nurture at an equally early age, are quite clearly entertwined with my writing.  One is never very far from the other.

As a writer and a healer, what a fascinating ongoing journey I'm experiencing...this process of continually being greeted by heretofore slumbering facets of my various abilities.  So much is happening with my writing as a result of venturing into the world of blogging - relationships, opportunities, business ventures and partnerships - things which I would honestly never have even thought to dream of for myself, yet they are showering down into my life in such abundance that at times, I admit, my head spins. 

Rather than being overwhelmed, I'm opening up with my full heart and enjoying each new moment.  Where all of this will lead, I have no idea.  Currently, I'm in the midst of a new project with my partner Marty, with Authentic Blogger on Facebook that is remarkable to me on a personal level.  When I dream, I am never afraid to dream large.  However, I honestly don't think it would have ever occurred to me to imagine such a reality as the one encompassed by Authentic Blogger and the resulting response it is getting in the Facebook and blogging world.  So, who knows what the next thing will be?  All I can say is that life is giving me quite a ride, with all of it tying into my love of writing. 

There is always a purpose at hand in our lives - perfect order, Divinely guided, if we but choose to pay attention and live consciously.  I am noting, with gratitude and enjoyment, how so many things are falling into place in this regard in my life.  The immediate impulse is to label it, corral it, and perhaps start to attempt to take control.  I'm resisting that impulse and just letting it be - not the easiest thing to do, let me tell you!  This is not to say I'm sitting meekly back, waiting on life to unfold with no energy or input on my part.  To the contrary - I doubt anyone could ever describe me as meek!  I am putting a great deal of energy into this whole process. 

As Universal Law so beautifully presents to us, and is also mentioned in many Holy Scriptures...the Bible, the Torah, the Talmud, Buddhist tenets....putting conscious and joyful energy into something you truly love, with sincere intent and request, produces an eventual return of energy tenfold or greater.  I feel myself standing on a high precipice, with whipping winds of change approaching....all the by-product of this delving more deeply that I have been working on so assiduously most of my life.  I am curious, a year from now, where I shall stand, looking back on this month of December 2009 that has been so full of new chapters, friendships and discoveries.  So, yes, life has been happening in the most delightful fashion while I've also had focus in many other directions. 

Authentic Blogger - birth of an idea

I am happy to report that a close friend and I have just created a new Facebook group called Authentic Blogger.  This is a community we have established for all bloggers, worldwide, to have an open forum for discussion, sharing information and tips on promotion, marketing and building awareness of each individul blog site. 

Our Mission Statement is simple - we want our name, Authentic Blogger, to say it all.  Write, create and promote topics in your blog that resonate strongly with you.  Follow blogs that speak to you personally and interest you.  Do not cave in to the mindless "if you follow me, I'll follow you" concept that is rampant in the blogging world.  Support your fellow bloggers/writers/artists by posting sincere, thoughtful comments on their blog site when a specific post truly captures your attention and imagination.

We hope to grow our community to a global level with lively, exciting interaction taking place on our Facebook wall and discussion boards.  We anticipate that we will grow and change over time, and we look forward to that growth process.  We welcome suggestions from all our future readers and hope that our group will provide you with hours of enjoyment.  Please take a moment to visit our group page.  If you're a blogger, please join our group and then post your site's URL on our wall.  We hope you will also take time to tell all your blogger friends about us.  Helping us to grow awareness and membership with our group will also help every member to garner attention and interest for their unique blog site.

This is an exciting new venture for us and we believe that there are no boundaries or limits with this concept.  Both Marty (my partner and fellow officer) and I will work hard to make this a unique, worthwhile group for all bloggers, writers, artists and creative people in general to participate in.  We hope to see you there!

Appreciation

Today is Thanksgiving 2009 and I sit at my computer to share my thoughts about the day. East Tennessee is experiencing the most glorious weather today with blue skies, light breezes and fluffy clouds scudding across the sky. I often gaze about me, regardless of any specific holiday, and marvel at the beauty that surrounds me. We are nestled at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the terrain is gentle, rolling hills, dramatic ridges, many lakes and rivers, mist wreathed mountains in the distance and the verdant glory of the Tennessee Valley. I have lived several other places in my life, but I always find myself returning here....to my home. Southern hospitality and friendliness, soft cadence of liquid vowels in our speech, savory southern cuisine, rich history and old-fashioned manners still exist in a manner unique to this region. Family is here, friends are as well, and memories abound to create what I consider to be an ideal place to live.

This past year has been a challenging one, for me on a personal basis, as well as for our country and for the world at large. Yet, despite personal challenges, this year has also been one of deep and intimate discovery and growth. It was this year that I began the next level of my writing career and embraced some new genres, with one of them being blogging. I count the blogging process as one of the most unexpected, delightful changes in my life. I am growing as a writer and a creative spirit in areas that I hadn't anticipated and that makes the experience all the richer. I am finding that my writing is reaching out to people around the world and sparking conversation, laughter, growth and a desire to delve deeper into areas that inspire.

I have made conscious shifts and adjustments on a personal level that have opened up my life, once again, in ways that I could never have predicted. Friendships both old and new are flourishing and family connections continue to be that golden, happy energy in my life. I am blessed beyond measure, I find, on this lovely November afternoon. Yes, there is sadness in the world, tragedies exist and injustices happen. Today, however, I choose to focus on the blindingly sharp clarity that surrounds me and write my appreciation in the most glowing words possible.

I feel a profound sense of happiness today and I am aware that that is, in part, a result of the people with whom I surround myself. It is also a culmination of hopes, dreams and desires that I have chosen to hone and tweak until I have created a wide open path for myself to walk. Life is, indeed, good and I am fortunate to be here, this day, this hour, with these people and experiences.

Belief and transparency

When I began the process of blogging, I had no idea how it would grab hold of my whole Spirit and become such a joyful experience. I have always written, have always held the intent to achieve certain goals with my writing and have been quietly putting those steps in place over time. Blogging sort of fell into my lap unexpectedly and has proved to be an outlet for creativity in a manner that is unique for me. Here, I do not have to please any specific client, adhere to any other schedule or format than the timeframe and template I choose for my blog page, and even those can be tweaked at will. Blogging, therefore, is one step removed, for me, from journaling. Where journaling is my innermost private thoughts written in longhand in artist's sketchbooks, blogging is almost as personal a creative process, written on the computer screen.

That very fact has become a learning process all its own. It starts out relatively simple. You start writing and you post a blog. Then you tell friends about it. At some point, you stumble across ways to promote your blog and you begin to amass people who follow your blog. That's when the realization begins to settle in that, as a result, blogging makes you transparent. By that, I mean that your thoughts are out there for the world to see, via the internet, with the stroke of a key. Hence, what began as just another writing exercise takes on new meaning. People post comments and send emails, replying to a given blog with positive or negative statements. You, as the author of the blog, learn from these comments and you grow as a writer. And you accept that you have chosen to continue to embrace this path of relative transparency. I think a quote by one of my favorite Sages addresses this concept quite well:

"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it."

~ Winnie the Pooh

This, then, is where I come to the "belief" part of the title of this blog. When I sit down to write a blog, it is 100% of the time because I've had a conversation with someone, read something, heard a song, looked at, or experienced something beautiful and my mind will not leave me alone until I get the words written. I never know how any given blog post will be received by the people who read it. In fact, when friends who follow my blog tell me they read a post, or that they follow my blog faithfully, it still has the power to shock me a bit. Perhaps all creative people have that reaction, not really truly believing in their own talent. This is another indelible lesson that blogging is teaching me - to believe in my own talent.

I have learned over a lifetime of writing, that for me, it is best to just write it out and not critique it too harshly in one sitting. Walk away from it and return the following day, see how it reads from a fresh perspective - this is my normal process. When I adhere to that formula, I am usually quite pleased with what I have created. There are, however, quite often moments when I think that a blog post, or an article I've written just doesn't really hit the note for which I was striving. The final draft doesn't seem to flow freely along with the melody in my mind. Again, I have learned to ignore those doubts, tweak the final draft to the best of my ability and post it. I am finding that a very large number of the posts I have wrestled with a niggling sense of doubt about, in fact, turn out to be the ones that people post the most comments about. Postive comments, at that.

One friend, in email conversation mentioned that (paraphrased here), "...you felt at the time that it deserved the focus and attention to write it out. I believe that means it should live."

This was in response to my self-doubts and wondering if I had written something too similar to a recent post and if I should delete the post I felt to be of duplicate content.

Another very dear friend and fellow blogger commented on my most recent post, entitled Musical Thoughts with glowing remarks that completely smoothed out those ever present niggling doubts I had had about that post. For a few long moments, I contemplated just not posting that blog entry, for fear that my concept was bit too outlandish for most people to relate to. I was beyond pleased when this friend wrote such positive comments and indicated that I had made an impact in the way he viewed writing. For me as a writer, that is the ultimate compliment and one that I will treasure. It tells me that if I stay in that calm, quiet assurance I have when I am writing, and trust myself and my instincts, the words will flow and will have that impact I am seeking to impart.

There are moments when I write a blog that everything sparkles, the planets all align and the words flow effortlessly, with the final result just making my heart sigh in pleasure. Those moments are more rare than some might expect. Writing is definitely hard work, full of inner struggles, frustrations and tons of doubt, I have found.

So, for me, belief, transparency and Pooh's comments about "Things suddenly not being so Thingish when other people get a look at them" have coalesced into a surprisingly comfortable combination. Indeed, those "Thingish Things" do change when others read them and I find that to be one of the most rewarding aspects of writing, blogging, etc. My own decision to believe in my writing ability and take the next logical step into the transparent world of blogging has opened up a panorama of Thingish Things. While I still struggle occasionally with typical moments of doubt, the greater and stronger result is that I am discovering new depths, layers and dimensions of writing and blogging. Consequently, I am receiving confirmation that perhaps I am making a difference to a small number of people in the process. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that someone has read my stuff and enjoyed the experience. It doesn't get much better than that, so, here's to continuing to embrace belief and transparency.