Blogging is not rocket science (unless you’re a rocket scientist who’s blogging about rocket science), but even the simplest things can take their toll over a prolonged period. It’s been three years now. Three years. Three years of tapping away each week on my keyboard and releasing something into the cyberwild. At times it feels like pitching rocks into a river on a dark night – there may be ripples, but there’s no way of telling. Unless you can see in the dark – maybe with some kind of night vision goggles. I don’t know, this simile is getting away from me.
At least I’ve learned stuff from the three years I’ve spent blogging. For example:
a) sometimes what I think is clever and funny writing, isn’t.
b) the difference between ‘learned’ and ‘learnt’ (It turns out it’s really just a stylistic choice, with ‘learnt’ being less common generally and practically unused in North America).
c) I actually have more to say than I thought I did, except when I don’t nurture my relationship with God, and then it turns out that I actually have less to say than I thought I did.
So I just wanted to thank all of you who have engaged with my writing on some level, whether you’ve read any of my books or even if you’re just an infrequent blog reader who keeps forgetting to unsubscribe. I am thankful for you.
And for that select few who occasionally write something in response to my ramblings, an extra big ‘Thank You’.
Of course, there are a few people who, regardless of their commitment to the blog, deserve special gratitude for their long-suffering support of my endeavours. If you’re thinking “I wonder if he’s talking about me?” then I probably am.
I can’t promise another three years, but let’s see how we go, shall we?
Dear James
I would like to say how much I appreciate your blogs. I subscribe to a few blogs, but I always read yours, without fail. They have made me ponder, or laugh, or repent, or worship – and that, to me, looks like a successful outcome!
I’m sure it often feels as if you send them out into the ether with no inkling of their effect. But effective they are, so keep going!
Fiona
Thanks for three glorious years (in this format!) of thoughtful and thought provoking wisdom. Looking forward to the next three!
James, I don’t write comments on your blogs very often, but I do read every single one and enjoy almost all of them immensely (and feel enriched by them too). I was very relieved when I got to the end of your blog and you didn’t say “ that’s all folks!” because I would miss those weekly musings and the world needs good writing! Thanks for blogging.
Sincerely,
Anne
I’d like to echo Anne’s comments, and add that if you stopped throwing rocks into the ripples of the cyberwild, or whatever, I for one would miss the wit, and more importantly, the God-given wisdom. So it would be much better if you felt able to continue. Not ‘on and on and on’, because that would be a bit like Mrs Thatcher, and you’re nothing like her, especially the hair. But I reckon there is still a deep well of Godly insights yet to be mined.
See? You’re not the only one who can car-crash their similes, or indeed metaphors. But you do it much better than anyone else.
Thank you all for your responses to this blog. I posted it as a reflection rather than a desperate plea for affirmation, but it seems to have worked out well for me. I hope that you all continue to benefit from my ramblings.