A special five-year anniversary

Crack open the champagne bottles. Let the confetti and balloons fly. Ring the bells, it’s time to celebrate. September marks the five-year anniversary of my blog. 

Five years and some 520 posts later, I’m still writing. 

When I first started this blog, I summarized the site as a place to put a few thoughts, a live journal so-to-speak, but even more, a place to showcase some of my fiction. Oh, I’ve shared some of my short stories and book ideas, but it’s really become more of a place to post about fatherhood, marriage, and life in these crazy times.

“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.”

—James Taylor

I’ve written about everything from dropping off my kids at college to my son’s decision to join the Armed Services, to helping my youngest son drive. I’ve written about my mother leaving her Amish roots and me leaving my rural home for the city. 

My favorite columns have been the ones where I’ve forced myself to be vulnerable, to steal a quote from Ernest Hemingway “to open up a vein,” and to share the intimate stories from my life that I haven’t shared with anyone else. (See below for my list of favorite blogs.)

I’ve learned a few things writing the blog over the past few years. In particular, I’ve learned that after more than thirty years as a corporate communications professional I know next nothing about what people will read or enjoy. The blog I expected to die on the vine goes viral and gets hit after hit. At same token, the blog I expected to take off, barely gets read (except by my lovely wife who takes pity on me.) Some expert I am? I continue to be shocked each month by my blogs that perform the best on the site. 

“There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”

—Earnest Hemingway

I’ve learned too that I can’t imagine not having the blog. A few years ago, someone close to me criticized me for revealing too much about myself and suggested that I was embarrassing myself. They didn’t realize that they were actually giving me the biggest compliment they could offer. What they failed to understand is that the blog is as important to me as breathing.

It’s who I am.

No, I’m proud to have worked my butt off to publish two blogs a week for the past five years. My hope is that you’ve enjoyed my stories and have gotten something back and, maybe one day, I’ll turn them into a book. In any event, I’ll close with my sincere thank you for joining me and coming along for the ride. 

A few of my favorites. Okay, here’s more than a few.

—An Amish girl leaves home to create a new way of life – Dec. 28, 2015

—A parent’s message for his son’s teacher – Oct. 3, 2015

—Missing the Big Valley – June 19, 2016

—Planning my own goodbye party – Jan. 5, 2017

—Proving the experts wrong: Celebrating graduation – June 6, 2017

—Living with the unknown, living with MS – June 17, 2017

—Getting a pink slip – July 2, 2020

—The moments in my life that I’ve been at my best as a father – July 30, 2020

—And a child shall lead them – Feb. 3, 2020

—From changing diapers to waving goodbye – Mar. 28, 2018

—Goodbyes are the hardest – Nov. 27, 2017

—My trip to the therapist – Jan. 21, 2019

—The birth of a blogger – September 13, 2015