It seems that there is a lot to celebrate, on this 20th day of March:
First day of spring (or, for those in the southern hemisphere, fall)!
International Day of Happiness (who knew? Thanks, social media!)!
National Ravioli Day (um…?)!
And…Day #733 of this blog!
Tiny blue flowers straining towards the sun.
Ok, the last one is a stretch, but it’s been a busy weekend and so I’m just now getting around to publicly recognizing the fact that two years have passed since I published my first post on WanderingIntrovert.com. Yippee!
I started writing here those many days ago because I craved an anchor in my life, and words have always provided me that. I started the blog, too, because I was curious to know if I could write something – of any value – on a regular basis; if so, I wanted to know what that looked like. Ultimately, I figured out that I was seeking something that would hold me accountable to myself.
For me, WanderingIntrovert has done all of that and more. It’s grounded me, challenging me to return to the humbling reality of writing and publishing, even when that’s the last thing I feel like doing. Wading ever so slowly into this vast ocean of blogging has also deepened my admiration for all writers, especially those who dive right in.
Perhaps there’s a new blogger right there, getting her toes wet right now.
Yet looking through the blog today, I realized that one of the best parts of this experience is that it has cemented my memories in a way I didn’t expect. It’s incredibly rare for me to revisit what I’ve written; that’s true for the words I’ve put down in journals and in essays, in short stories and in novels. It’s one of my most critical shortcomings as a writer, and I’m working on improving at it.
Here, though, I can revisit the places I’ve explored in the last two years and am immediately transported back to them, whether that’s a street in Paris or a park in Detroit. Today may be marked by intermittent rain here on the northern coast of California, but through this blog, I am reminded of the magic and moods that have existed for me elsewhere, thousands of miles and countless hours ago. The flip side, of course, is that I’m even more keenly aware of the other places I want to be at any given moment.
Wild calla lilies.
I didn’t know where I was headed when I started WanderingIntrovert.com, and to be honest, I still don’t know where I go from here. Sometimes, that alarms me, and sometimes I find it exciting. For now, it’s enough to be thrilled that this website will continue to play a role in my life – and, hopefully, in yours.
Now, since I’ve finished writing, perhaps it’s time to celebrate some ravioli and some happiness, as the day apparently requires. As ever, thank you for reading these wandering words I write. From this small corner of the world to yours, happy Vernal Equinox to you!
Is there a better spring flower than the California poppy?
The Wandering Introvert 