Tuesday, May 4, 2010

A Community is Born

One year ago today I posted my first blog. What started out from Santa Fe as music and movie reviews, with some metaphysics thrown in, has evolved into something quite different than I originally imagined. Both the place and the postings. Each time I sat down to write, something else emerged. It was as though my blog had its own ideas, its own plan for how this was all going to go. Some mornings, while still lying in bed, lines would come in and I knew I had to get up and get them down, there was an idea percolating that wanted to be expressed. Sometimes, I was completely surprised by what showed up. I sat down and watched the ideas spill out. Other times I assisted a bit more as I worked through an idea, waiting patiently, more or less, for it to be realized. I never intended to get into reminiscing about the past, but some of my stories had been waiting years to be told, like "An Old Black Van and a Ripe Yellow Pear." And there they were, all dressed up in colors and imagery, ready to go.

It's been a good year for self-discovery, a constant unfolding. Perhaps a tad nomadic, pulling up camp every few months for other pastures and other possibilities; all springing from my deep desire to more fully understand our connection to each other.

I'd been thinking for some time about community, how we create community, how we sustain it, how we find the right people to share it with, people that have similar, yet diverse, outlooks. When I first mentioned this to a friend from Santa Fe, he said it sounded good, but we agreed we didn't want to spend any time sitting around the communal table and discussing who burned the beans. We both like our privacy, our quiet alone time, but want to feel supported in life, as though there is a group that listens and cares, understands and accepts.

For the first few months, I blogged only for myself. And that was fine. I love the process of writing. As the months rolled by, a few visitors stopped by my blog and then decided to pay regular visits. I visited their places, too. A community was born. A "society of friends." I could not have gone out and recruited a finer group to commune with, to share my life with. We have created, what is for me, a support system of love and caring out of what might first appear to be total strangers. But we know better. And as our community of souls expands to embrace a world we love, each of us, in our own way, is helping to make it a really fine place to be. And no one is worrying about who burned the beans.


I bring to you, for your listening and viewing pleasure, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," from The Beatles film, "Yellow Submarine," just because it's so darn cool.  Have a beautiful day, my friends, my family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOO8-Jp-xsg







16 comments:

  1. You know...I mentioned something about "my friends" in a group the other day. I was asked where I met them and who are they and how did I meet them??? Every one was shocked when I responded that I had met them thru blogging, and even more shocked when I told them how close I had become to my new friends. Funny how you're posting on this very subject.
    Your Friend,
    Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations on achieving your first year of great blogs! I love your expression "a society of friends". That is exactly what we become. When it comes to blogging, we truly get the friends that we deserve!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lynn, so nice to hear your affirmation of what this group means to all of us.

    Ms. Sparrow, Thank you. "Society of Friends" is actually a term for Quakers. Although I am not affiliated with them, I've always loved their espousing of peace and compassion. And it seemed fitting.

    Pearl! Thank you. You have a crazy cool blog and a great sense of humor!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy blogiversary, Teresa! I'm so glad I am getting to know you through your writing. Community is a perfect description for us blogging souls. I like that. You're wonderful!

    Pearl has a crazy cool blog AND a sense of humor? I must check that out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Teresa! Congratulations on your anniversary! Mine comes up on the 27th of June. You are correct about a community. I drew a flow chart of my blogging friends and how we connected and how we got started. I'll put it up on my blog. Yes, a society of friends. We do love the written word. I feel a closeness to my blogging friends that is reciprocated. Congrats, Teresa, I can't wait to read more of your work. --Jack

    ReplyDelete
  6. LB (aka Gail), Thank You! I'm glad to be getting to know you, also.

    Jack, yes, the love of the written word. A fine thing to bring us all together.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy Anniversary! I've been blogging for the past five months and really related to the journey you described in this post. I'm just now finding my online community. As I adjust to being retired, it has been fun to "meet" others who are having similar experiences and share our thoughts. I look forward to hitting that first big anniversary...I celebrated when I made it to two months!

    ReplyDelete
  8. #1 Nana. I just visited your blog again. David Sedaris? Had to become a follower... Love your sense of humor and your outlook. Thank you for your note!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I definitely consider you a friend. A cherished one. Thanks for putting yourself out there and making this world warmer, sweeter, and Lighter. Love you Teresa.

    Your MN & NM friend, Kristy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy anniversary. This community-creating thing comes from the most unexpected places! Sometimes when I read a blogger I want to say, "When you come to Seattle, we have an extra room."

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes, it's like we've all known each other a very long time or we know it will be fun to get to know each other better.... It's nice. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy Blogiversary! Your blog touches so many hearts, Teresa. A community of friends is perfect for the warmth and understanding and closeness that have evolved. I thank you for making my life so much richer. Your friend, Kittie.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Kittie, thank you, so much. I'm very grateful for our friendship.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congratulations on your anniversary!! I so enjoyed reading about how this journey evolved and I feel as you do that this community of blogging friends is very, very special. I hope you blog forever :-)

    ReplyDelete