Celebrating second blog-anniversary!

      It all started exactly two years ago. On a cold snowy winter evening of 21^st February 2015, powered with loads of ideas and fueled with limited scope of my vocabulary, when I started to pen down my first blog post, little did I know that the journey will reach this milestone today. After two years of blogging and 126 posts of variety, when I sit behind my laptop today, I still feel like a small little kid venturing into something new. Each blog post has been nothing less than a challenge, as I strive to sound sane, meaningful, humorous and informational all at once. Though I have reached this far in the journey, I still experience moments of anxiety when I release the link or moments of self-doubt, wondering if the chords shall strike with the readers as expected.

    Hunting for topics, playing the idea in mind, framing words in an imaginary world, typing them out and finally reading it aloud constitute the steps of every blog, before they are finally shaped into a post. If one asks me about the best aspect of blogging, my prompt answer will be the opportunity to deliver words as they run in my mind. Conveying what I believe or speaking out what I feel is an irreplaceable feeling of blogging that empowers me along the journey. But at the same time, I do sense the responsibility of using this freedom wisely. Just because my words can flow in any direction they want, they cannot be misused in any way.

 If you ask me about the toughest part of blogging, it will be reading the post from the perspective of a reader. As soon as I read my own words, rising conflicts between a writer and reader occupy the center-stage, giving way to an epic drama. While balancing between these two demanding roles, the end turns into a somewhat satisfactory piece, waiting for its true readers. 

     Call it feedback, comments, compliments or criticism, each of these play a significant role. Unless I get a critical comment from my parents or an encouraging note from my grandfather, unless I get a thumbs up from my sister or an approving nod from my husband, unless I get appreciation from my relatives or feedback from my friends, the quest for acceptance continues. But again, I need to remind myself about the sole purpose of blogging. It is more about seeking joy than gaining recognition, it is more about creating something unique than validating against a standard measurement.

   My journey as a blogger has brought me close to the wonderful world of creative arts. The satisfaction of creating a piece by one’s own hands cannot be offered by any other task in the universe. The sense of creation is all that radiates, when an artist puts his talents and skills to work. Though my journey completes two years today, I still get the feeling of a clear slate whenever I sit to write my thoughts. No matter how many posts I create, I will always feel as an amateur blogger.

   While walking down the memory lane of these two good blogging years, I was tempted to pen down some of the aspects learnt so far.

What has blogging taught me over these years, that influences the person in me?

1.       Ability to face criticism - accepting the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, judgments are wrong way of analysis and we are defined by our thoughts, beliefs, ideas and faith.

2.       Openness to new ideas – inspiration can strike from the least expected sources, flexible approach to experiment with novel topics. (Fallen leaves on the road have inspired one of my posts!)

3.       There is no right or wrong way – arts is defined by our opinions. It cannot be declared as correct or incorrect based on any technical database.

4.       Patience is the underlying hero- it is important to believe in efforts and work hard towards the goal. Things may not turn out as expected, but patience is all you need to keep going.

5.       Not every single day is yours – many a times, when I fail in my flow of words, I remind myself about the uncertainty of life. It is absolutely perfect to have bad days when my vocabulary and inspiration simply refuse to walk with me!

6.       Enjoy the process- This lesson definitely came the hard way. While being excited about the appreciation, I would often forget about the pure joy of framing the post. It is only after a sense of satisfaction hits you, when you realize that there is more joy in the process than the end result.

With this, I come to the end of my blog-anniversary post. None of this would have been possible without you readers who support, comment, criticize and encourage me at every single step. Hope this journey continues ahead and hope I fill your minds with my gift of words!