SOL 2016, D31

It’s time for a final reflection.  This has been quite a month and I have to say that I am quite proud of myself for meeting the challenge.  I actually wrote and posted something every day – all 31 of them.  Even with the added challenge of spotty wifi during spring break, I pulled it off!!

But oh, what a learning curve.  It wasn’t until about Day 8 that I read the fine print defining a ‘day’.  Several of my first posts were published before midnight my time, the end of my day – not the end of a Slice of Life day.  But I am not in this for prizes.  I truly did this for the challenge of writing every single day.  I still got it posted by the end of my day.

It seemed like I was consistently the only frantic post late at night.  And then I would see that people were posting at 2am!  I felt so unorganized.   Was I the only one who wrote at night?  Around Day 10, I learned that many of you write your post the day before and then just post it when you get up (or in my western time zone, when I go to bed).  Ah – you pre-planners!!!  I was already in the habit of writing at night and reflecting on that day. It didn’t feel right to post tomorrow what happened today so I kept up with my late night comments.

And then, I am not kidding here so laugh with me not at me, I didn’t realize until about Day 22 that if you click on the blue ‘comment’ button on the bottom of the daily email from TwoWritingTeachers, you don’t have to scroll all the way down to find the comment bar;  it automatically takes you there.  Seriously?!?!  For someone who mostly posted late at night, that was A LOT of scrolling!!!  I get it now.  Game on for next year.  I’ve got the tricks down!

I really tried to do my 3 comments a day.  I truly read more than 3 posts every day.  I was nowhere near the hundreds that the comment challenge winner logged, but I did read a lot.

I need to insert here a sincere apology to all those who blog on blogspot.  I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to comment on your wonderful writing.  I know it has to do with the browser I am using but I am an old dog whose old Mac doesn’t like changing browsers. I couldn’t tackle that challenge.  So, if you were a blogspotter – I read what you wrote, I loved your words and your magic.  I just couldn’t leave you a written comment.

I actually enjoyed writing every day.  I found myself ‘writing’ throughout the day as something struck me as worthy of sharing.  I looked at the world through a different lens and was surprised by how that forced me to engage more thoughtfully.  I found myself trying to put words to what I saw instead of snapping a photo or just visually absorbing. Instead of being reactionary, I allowed moments to be soaked up.  I found more humor, more insight, more connection, more beauty and more meaning in the world around me.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone who responded to my posts.  You filled my soul in a way I really didn’t expect.  I guess I need to know that someone each day has heard what I have to say and, more importantly, acknowledged it.  That really blew me away.  I felt like I made friends this month with people who got me, who related to me, and who supported me.  I am so very grateful for that unexpected benefit.

Thank you all for filling my cup.