“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Eight months ago, I took the first step. It was for me, actually, a leap. I decided to risk believing that my needs, values and passion might be shared by enough other people with whom I would be able to make a meaningful connection. I hoped that what I perceived was one of my strengths might help me create something important from which others would benefit. I began writing this blog and have been somewhat cautiously putting it out there hoping to gather some readers. This weekend, with the help of a shameless birthday plea to get Facebook friends to my sight and a whole lot of help from my readers, some of whom made their own plea on my part, I reached 2000+ page views. With a small group of readers in just 8 months I say, “Not bad!” Thanks, friends!
In the fall, I announced that there were big changes coming to the blog in the new year. I had intended to unveil a new look and some new content this month. I’ve been working on that, but I’ve decided to take a slightly different course. I’ve enrolled in a kind of blogger’s school so that I can learn a whole lot more about how to make my work here meaningful and useful to you. So changes are still coming, but I’m not sure of the exact timeline—I’m not sure what the whole staircase looks like yet.
I share this with you in part to hold myself accountable. More importantly, I consider you my original tribe members to whom I am forever grateful. I hope that sharing the details of creating my own life worth living might inspire you to think about what step you could take next. I’m taking an even bigger risk by trying to get more exposure for the blog—risking believing that there might be even more people out there with whom I can make a meaningful connection. Please stay with me as I try to grow my value and our tribe!
Finally, in honor of Martin Luther King, I want to say how thankful I am for the efforts of so many who sacrificed their time, safety and lives to bring us greater fullness and harmony as a society. My life is immeasurably enriched by the diversity of age, culture, race, religion, socio-economic status and beliefs of my friends, family, colleagues and students. To be married in 1966, my own mother and father-in-law had to leave the state of Virginia where interracial marriages weren’t allowed. They were married 44 years before my father-in-law passed away. Thankfully these barriers have been removed, but we still have a lot of work to do. Thanks MLK and everyone who came before and after him who strive to give all of us the right to create and live our unique lives worth living!
What step do you need to take even if your vision hasn’t yet fully materialized?
I wish I could see clearly enough to know what my vision is! I just kind of ended up where I am now...not that I was driven to achieve anything. I guess I'm still meandering; wondering what's ahead and not in a big hurry to get anywhere.
ReplyDeleteSounds like maybe you see more clearly than you give yourself credit for...
ReplyDeleteI often say I am the most ambitious person and at the same time the worst procrastinator. Being that I am staring at the first step of 50 different staircase.... maybe I just need to jump on one and see where it takes me. I won't know if I want to continue to the second step unless I see what the first one is all about. Instead of being paralyzed by the abundance of choices.... I would like to make my first step to simply be taking one. See where the wind blows me from there!
ReplyDelete