Happy First Year to Me

It's my first blogging anniversary! One year ago today, I took the plunge, after many months of indecision.

One of the big questions for me was: Who is my audience? Much as I enjoy writing for its own sake, writing is a form of communication, so if no one reads what I've written, then it's not worth the time, to me. So, who will read, and what will they want to hear?

Then a fellow blogger and a friend in real life--Mary at Entelechy and Notes from Solar Cabin--encouraged me to write with family and friends in mind, and with that advice and encouragement, I started in. After a number of weeks, I installed a site meter, just to see if anyone at all was visiting, and was pleased to see that I was getting a few hits a day--enough to keep going, I thought.

My family and friends began to tell me they were reading and enjoying my blog, and I was delighted! Other bloggers found me too, and I've been surprised at the blessing of online friendships. (I could write a whole post on that, but I'll just comment that they tend to be based on mutual encouragement--and who can't use more of that? I surely appreciate you all--Diane, Tonia, Ann V., Kathie, Jenny, and Wendy especially have been so warm and affirming.)

Now, I don't even know who all reads here--usually over 60 people a day, and not the same 60 every day. Today, on my anniversary, my hit counter says 18, 441 people have visited since last February when I installed it. Can you believe it? A small percentage of those are one-time Googlers, but the rest of you are frequent or infrequent visitors--and I am so grateful! Your time and attention are a great gift to me.

But I am still asking myself the same questions. Who is my audience? What should I write about? How much of myself and my family should I share? Do they care? (And what do they care about?)

Because of my uncertainty (or perhaps it's an unwillingness to commit), I have settled on the variety show format--book reviews, family news and pictures, quotations, on-line participation posts, devotional thoughts, liturgical awareness posts (have I coined a new phrase?). It's been fun wearing all these different hats and trying to be creative at each one.

But I'd love it if, to celebrate my anniversary, you'd leave me a comment on this post--even if you're reading it later on this week. Tell me what kind of posts you especially enjoy, or just introduce yourself and tell me where you're from! I see certain cities or countries showing up regularly and I wonder--missionary? U.S. miltary? national? I've even prayed for some of you!

Because it is a relationship, between writer and readers. (Oh, and I so appreciate those of you who told me in a Christmas card that you are a reader! You haven't missed our online newsletter, by the way--it's just going to be late this year.) But since this relationship is by definition mostly a monologue, I don't want to spend a lot of time rambling about things no one is really interested in--and I might just need encouragement to write more on certain topics that readers enjoy.

So, to de-lurk and leave me a comment (when you don't comment, you're called a "lurker"--and you don't want to be one of those, do you?), click on the "comments" link at the end of this post, type your comment in the box that comes up and sign it with your name, pseudonym, city, or whatever identifier you wish to leave. Then select Anonymous (right below the comment window) and type the letters you see in the window below that. Hit Preview, if you wish to see how your comment will look, and end by clicking on Publish. Hopefully Blogger will behave itself and you won't have any problems.

If you'd rather send me an email, that's fine too! Use hens_pace@yahoo.com.

I will consider each comment or email a great treasure--and thanks in advance for celebrating with me!

And a blessed New Year to each and every one of you!!!