tonight, a note of gratitude.
it’s been exactly one year since i began this little experiment. last january 31, i had just finished my applications to graduate school and i felt very much like i was biding my time, trying to figure out what lay in store for me. if you’ll allow, i was trying, desperately even, to read my tea leaves. and what started out as an experiment for myself has morphed, miraculously, into a shared experience with all of you.
to be frank, i’m not always sure how i feel about the internet. sometimes i fear that i spend too much of my time interacting with friends in virtual spaces, rather than connecting with the people right in front of me. sometimes it feels strange to share bits of my daily experiences with perfect strangers, and there are certainly moments when i want to turn it all off, unplug, start over.
but if this little experiment has taught me anything, it is that despite this new and strange form of interacting, there is something going on here in this little virtual world that is proof of something much, much older than this world wide web. despite all of the time and space and years that stand as potential limiting factors in my ability to build a relationship with any one of you, we have managed somehow to build a community. and i am stunned. the creativity, warmth, and generosity of spirit that transmits through all of you on a daily basis is nothing short of remarkable.
i’m often asked by my friends who my ‘followers’ are. they imagine, i think, that i have recruited my kindergarten classmates to plump up my list of readers {and yes, my dear sisters obligingly followed my blog in those early days}. but the truth is, that i know almost none of you. and still, you come to visit.
and as much as i would love to sit down and share a cup of tea with each of you in real time, i am so humbled to be able to sit here and share tiny moments of my life with all of you in the digital realm. you make the world seem somehow smaller, and much, much bigger. so, thank you.
and thank you most of all for bearing with this sappy tome, written on the night of my one year anniversary. g’night.
41 Comments
erin,
i think for me it is a matter of knowing when to plug in and when to not plug in. i have yet to master this.
but with the right balance, i think this virtual world has so much to offer. i do feel connected to you and to others here. and really inspired creatively.
i like this sappy post and i look forward to being a follower in your second year:)
liane
….so glad that we all have become "friends"
good sappy post š
michelle
i so agree with every single thing you said. and i'm so glad we've gotten to "meet," even if only on the internet. to say that i love reading your blog would be an understatement. you're a beautiful person! xoxo
Erin, thank you for sharing your stories and the way you view the world. I enjoy reading your blog and seeing what you're thinking about. Here's to another lovely year!
I also want to thank you for following my blog. I think you were one of the first followers that I didn't know š
congratulations on the milestone… i sometimes find myself wondering why i use the internet to communicate when i much prefer face-to-face, but i have gained so much through the blog world and i've only been here for a short time. the world is moving forward with technology, and we should jump and hang on for the ride, don't you think? š anyway, i enjoy your blog and i'm thankful that you're doing what you do.
Yay!! Happy Anniversary to you ~~
xoxo Laura
Happy Anniversary and congrats!
I like this sappy post! š I understand your internet concerns (I feel the same) but sometimes its nice to have virtual friends, they're a different sort of friend than your buddy from preschool.
Happy Blog Anniversary! š
Congrats on your blogoversary! Your blog was one of the first ones I discovered (when searching for 'tea' blogs) and I have enjoyed your insights, downtowns, and creative snippets. Your post tonight exactly captures the beauty of the blogging community.
Looking forward to Year Two!
yay happy anniversary! i have enjoyed following along in your journey and looking forward to much more!! hugs!!
Happy 1!
Erin,
Congratulations on your 1st year of blogging!
What got me hooked on your blog was 'things I like'. I related to almost all on your list and it was from that moment on I really enjoyed peeking into your daily photos and insights! Thank you for inspiring me!
Beautifully put. Happy blog birthday!
Beautiful.
Happy blogaversary! xo
It's lovely, visiting here! I have the same worries as you, I think… but meeting blog friends can be so nice because you feel like you know their soul straight away.
To many more blogging years! X
Aw what a lovely note. Happy blogiversary!
aw, this was really sweet! congrats on your one year anniv! i am right there with you, i mean, in seven months i will be at one year. but i can totally relate to your perspective/experience of/with blogging. sometimes i feel like discontinuing my blog just because it's so far fetched, i'm not really sure who's visiting but i know people do and it's a bit daunting to think of. but at the same time, i 'meet' and interact with all these lovely and creative and supportive people that i probably wouldn't have met otherwise and it's always great to hear that i made someone's day just by posting something that resonated with them, all of a sudden it all seems worth it. i think if you're a good person with good intentions and maybe a bit of good taste (ok a lot), blogging can turn out to be a very fruitful and enjoyable experience. congrats again, lady!
you see? this is what i mean–so many kind words! thank you.
xo.
Happy 1 year!! I loved this post, beautifully written and so sweet š
erin, I've decided to de-lurk in honor of your one year anniversary! Love the language you have for this blog world and its friendships. Blessings to you.
I am thankful that you share. I love your "voice" and your photos. Happy Anniversary!
happy year of blogging! i'm so glad i've gotten to read your blog. you always draw my attention to the small, beautiful details of life. thank you!
Happy Blogivversary! I am so happy to know you and your lovely blog.
Thank you for letting us all watch this little blog grow. I find it inspiring every day!
Erin, You've brought up so many things that I've thought about. These communities we form, it is all pretty amazing. I enjoy a little sappiness every now and then. Happy anniversary!
Very sweet post. Happy anniversary! Looking forward to reading more of your blog posts!
Congrats on the first year! I'm glad you're here.
I'm conflicted sometimes too – as a private person, it's a bit odd to have so much of my life out there on the internet. But it really is an amazing community, and one I feel so lucky to be a part of.
seems like we all agree that sometimes it feels a little creepy to spend all this time posting about our own lives and sharing it with people we've never met, *BUT* we each treasure the very strong sense of community (i'd even say, in many cases, a sisterhood)that we've found here. So hooray for keeping up with your vision for a whole year!
thanks for the thanks, and you should know that we are thankful for YOU for this wonderful little world you've carved out and created with your tea leaves.
xoxo from the desert
Happy Blog Birthday!
Aw, sweet post, Erin..! I'm equally conflicted, but like you, I am just as amazed at this wonderful community… It's incredibly inspiring. Not to mention, welcoming and kind.
I look forward to reading more posts from you, sappy or not. š
xo,
-maria
Oh, and of course: happy anniversary!
I love reading your insights, seeing/feeling the pictures, and smiling. If you help people smile for that moment, you and they are blessed. Happy writing!
So glad you started your blog. In an over saturated blog world, it's a refreshing read.
so well said, erin. you put out a unique inspiring space in the blog world.
I'm so thankful you started this little experiment. I've come to really cherish your posts and photos, even if I don't get to view them as much as I'd like, now that I'm a mom. Your blog is beautiful. Congratulations!
I'm a relatively new follower but I absolutely adore your blog. Happy (belated) one year Anniversary! (and many more to come!)
happy anniversary and thank you for inviting us over for a virtual cup of tea, which is comfy and cozy. i enjoy reading about your goings on and the 'downtown' features are always fun and different. here's to the next year and many more to come. xo, c
Congratulations on the big 1 year!
aw so nice blogging friend!
awwww…..this is AWESOME! I am so glad that you and I met in this lovely blog world…..I look forward to visiting here always……and knew I would love it from the very first time I clicked on reading my tea leaves.
Keep on inspiring friend!
xo
Congrats for your first year!! ^^ And I really love tea. =)
Lots of love from Spain.
xxxx
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