Five-Year Reflection

Published on by J. Kelland Perry
I received this notification today:
5 Year Anniversary Achievement
“Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!
You registered on WordPress.com 5 years ago.
Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.”
 ***
 My blog turns five years old on New Year’s Eve. When I look back on that first post, Follow the Yellow Brick Road, I wonder: how on earth did I make it this far?
images-200x199Before I started blogging, I wondered what the point would be in it. I used to liken it to shouting into a void, and where was the fun in that? And at first, that’s exactly what it was. With only a handful of followers, getting a like or two – or, wow, is that a comment??? – was all the encouragement I needed to post another photo, or a poem, or a thought about something.
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visit-017Photo from: Travel Theme: Oceans – June 2012
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Consistency is everything, as many of my blogger friends will tell you. Showing up and putting in the time and energy is what draws more followers, likes and comments. It is what brings the lovely reward of connection with other like-minded people, as well as with those who walk an entirely different path.
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 So much can happen in the span of five years. When I reflect on my life as shared through this blog, certain events stand out. I remember the highs – cherished moments with friends and loved ones (which strengthened those relationships), travel to new destinations near and far, and the fulfillment of two novels written; and the lows – first and foremost, the loss of my beloved mother to Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other sad good-byes, personal disappointments and health afflictions. For me, keeping a blog is also a form of testimonial to my ongoing gratitude, as a way to pay homage to the priceless gifts that life has granted me.
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 Today, I can’t picture my life without blogging. I know I’ve said this on earlier blog anniversaries, but it still holds true. When life gets hectic or throws me a curveball, I admit to moments that hint of burnout, but those times have thankfully been few.
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I hope Jennifer’s Journal lives on for a few years yet. Why? Because, as an introvert, I have been enriched and inspired by all the incredible people I’ve met here. You’ve added another meaningful dimension to my days, and I want to keep you around, in 2017 and beyond!

Bloggers:      
How long have you been blogging?
Have you found the connections you’ve made rewarding?


Daily Post D.C.: Retrospective

25 thoughts on “Five-Year Reflection”

  2. I love your idea of a blog as a “testimonial to ongoing gratitude!” I am inspired to view my own in a different light. Wishing you a very happy New Year and looking forward to sharing many more meaningful exchanges.

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  4. I started my first blog on “bigblog” way back in 2000, but switched to blogger in 2007 and started wordpress, I don’t remember when just checked 2012 I love blogging it is an outlet for me and to hell with what others in the family think

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