Humbling, Mumbling, Stumbling......

As I have written many times, the blogging community...... well the one I was lucky enough to be adopted into, has offered me many gifts. Comments, encouragement, ideas, challenges to my own ramblings, have provided much inspiration and motivation. Most importantly, I feel a strong sense of fellowship with the individuals who have visited my site and have shared some of themselves with me. Over the course of the life of this site, I have developed friendships through emails and conversations with people around the world........this is an absolutely amazing gift; one I was not expecting. I treasure these blossoming friendships.

I have never believed more strongly of the concept of a global village than I do now. This is the pot of gold the internet has offered to all of us. Our homes and our lives form a beautiful neighbourhood. You're just around the corner from me...........albeit 4 time zones away! The feeling that we can send out our human touch to one another is a blessing.

When I did my tour of Europe backpack trip years ago, I was always thrilled but also taken aback by how the conversations one started up with a stranger in a hostel automatically went to sharing dreams, feelings, opinions......the important stuff. There was never any lollygagging around the piddly nonstarter topics. Reflecting on this, I guess I figured there was an assumption that since we had all made travelling and backpacking a priority (and a reality) in our young lives, that we had much in common. Hence, we could strip away the fluff and get down to the big stuff. Every night seemed like a buffet of kindred talk. I loved this part of the trip more than any aspect. It's the same aspect of my job in the frontlines that I love.

Who knew that blogging would offer up the same buffet? My intentions when I began this writing journey was to simply develop an archive of my ideas.......all the while trying to tackle various subjects that somehow managed to swim free of other measley thoughts littering my noggin. So, I'd write on a topic........one that may have "refreshed an irritation" as my lovely emerald friend Pip says......or one that began as an opinion on something I had read, or heard or discussed or experienced...... and then I'd post it.

More times than not, I have felt like I was writing from the dark, gathering light as I went along figuring out what it was I was trying to convey. On many of the topics I have tried to tackle, the learning for me has come while chewing through the thoughts first and then finding the phrase or words to give it meaning. Or rather, the phrases and words found ME, the scribe who tries to capture them in flight. In other words, most of what i've written has felt like a stab in the dark by a sham artist (me).......... because I am learning as I write.

I am writing as I learn. And as I learn and write and write and learn, I am hopefully becoming more aware of who I am, where I fit, who we are, where we fit, and what this life thing is all about.

On the other side of the coin, it became apparent pretty quickly that I had stored a whole bundle of stories and people interactions that were ready to be shared..........and they continue to spill out of me without any inkling of them stopping. I read somewhere that there's no point in learning something if you're not going to share it. Theres no point in holding onto some insight if it can't help another person...... it might as well not exist if it isn't shared. It's like hoarding your Halloween candy until it goes stale. Whats the point of that? So, this outlet has provided a circle of friends for me to pass on AND to receive perspectives from our personal histories.

Our stories make up our humanity. Our stories will be the way to understanding humanity.

Over the past week or so, I have been given 4 awards for my mumbling and stumbling and to tell you the truth, they have left me feeling very humbled. As I have stated, much of what I have written has been a selfish act of trying to figure something out. It's very humbling to realize that while I have been doing this, I have managed to offer food for thought for others. And maybe even this is an insight for me...... another example of how we are all on the same journey. The sites and sounds and personal experiences may be different, but the journey is fueled the same. I want to thank the beautiful human being bloggers who have bestowed these awards........... and I want to pass them onto to a few others. I hope you find a new blogsite and a new friend through one of these links.....I think you will.

I received this from Marja, who lives and works and thrives and BLOGS from New Zealand. We "met" one another through Writer's Island, where we have both posted stories over the past couple of months. Since then, Marja and I have realized we have much in common with respect to our interests in working with children and our background formal training in this area. How cool is that?? I'm sitting here and Marja is halfway around the world from me.....and we have found terrific common ground. Thank you Marja.

And I'd like to pass this award onto the lovely lyrical gentleman poet and creator of Writer's Island, Rob Kistner. His blog, Image and Verse is always a delight to visit......his poems are spiritual, sensual, thought provoking, wonderfully imaginative. His pictures and photos that accompany them have a magical feel to them. Please visit his sites to enjoy his take on life, and to say hello. And, if you want.........try your hand at writing something for Writer's Island. There's a new prompt word each week.

I'd also like to pass this onto my blogging buddy, Charles Leblanc who is single handedly showing the rest of the world what his view of Fredericton is all about. The good, the bad and the ugly. Charles is MORE prolific than the rest of us, often posting two or three stories and photos a day. He blames it on his ADHD....... personally, I just think he likes being a bit of a pot stirrer (aka a shit disturber). Charles and I connect for a chat at least once a week........catching up, swapping stories...... and talking blogger talk. Given that both of us are boisterous yappy talkers, our conversations run the gamut of topics during the course of 10 minutes! He keeps the politicians and media types on their toes and drives them CRAZY in the process. Ya, gotta love him! Plus, he gives me a hug every time I see him, which tells me I'm on his good side and not on his shit list. Thank God.

Gypsy writes from her heart always........who's site is visited by bloggers from all walks and thoughts, which makes for an interesting dialogue in the comments section after Gypsy has shared a story or an opinion. We too have linked arms despite the fact that she's in SummerOz down under and I'm in Winterwonderland up north. Aside from both liking the idea of sharing a good bottle of wine together....... we too have found much common ground. I always look forward to reading her insights because i never know if I'm going to be touched in a weepy way, or whether I'm going to be laughing out loud. I encourage you to visit her blog and wish her a Happy Australia Day!

Thank you Gypsy for the "Mentor" award. It means a great deal to me.

I would like to pass it onto an individual whom I have just met in the virtual world..... Mark from The Naked Soul is kicking it up a notch with his thoughts on many of the same topics I have tried to tackle. When I stumbled onto his site serendipitously, I blinked and read and realized that perhaps I had found someone who may be blogging for the same reasons as myself. I encourage you to check out the Naked Soul...... I guarantee you'll find a few gems.

The blogging mentor award was also designed as a way to recognize the people who helped you get started in blogland in the first place. So, I'd like to send a smile and an Irish jig to my Finnan friend. You can blame him for my incessant yapping, though he's known to be quite a random topic talker as well.

Deb at Jane Poe and I met through another award bestowing (is that a word?) a while ago. When was it Deb? I feel like we've known each other for YEARS. Our worlds gravitated to one another initially through our mutual enjoyment of each other's creative writing, but it became clear very quickly that we too had much in common on the career front. Deb is also a beautiful poet.......her verses stir up your senses like a sensual whisper.

Thank you Deb for this uplifting nod..........what you share of yourself on your blog and the encouraging comments you leave on mine ALWAYS make my day.

I'd like to pass this award onto Katie at Rainbow Dreams. Katie's a Guernsey girlfriend from way back now...! We have shared much about our lives with one another, our struggles in making changes in our careers, our yearnings as well as our day to day dealings of being Moms and juggling home and work etc. Her friendliness, and kindness always makes my day.

I'd also like to pass this onto Barbara/Layla who manages to keep two or three or four blogs hopping! Barbara has been a Godsend when it has come to my spiritual learning.....suggestions of readings, comments about my writing, and mostly posting thought provoking stories and quotes on her blog have fed my thinking. I love her openbook honesty......... and how she can spill her feelings and doubts and struggles as a way to help herself figure it out, but also as a way for her readers to ponder. And if I ever, EVER manage to get something published, she has promised me that she would be my agent! Right Layla?? :) Check out these two blogs....here and here.

Lastly but definately not leastly..........Claudia, who gave me this award with the following comment which cracked me up......

"Awareness and I are fairly new to each other. I find her posts to be very thought provoking and helpful. I believe she’s a therapist too - which is always a little scary because therapists can be complete wack jobs. Her comments to my comments are always thought, probing, encouraging me to go deeper and be more thoughtful. That’s really wonderful. "

My, there are days when I feel like a wack job! And who knows, maybe there's a whole crowd of people who truly believe I am. Thank you Claudia. I LOVE being a world wide web woman. It sounds so classy and sleezy at the same time. :)

Claudia is a full time writer...... and a beautiful one at that. She also has a sense of humour which is very similar to mine. We both were born with the absurd gene I think. Please check out Claudia's site...........it's full of sunshine, sunflowers and insights......her most recent post about bubble gum is hilarious! Please say hi from me and let her know I'm not a wack job. :) Thanks.

I'd like to pass this award onto a two women bloggers who tickle my thinking and offer good reading and good fun.

Judy at imagine what I'm leaving out.........is a beautiful blogger floral designer. Her photos of her work are sometimes posted and I love seeing her creativities. Judy also posts great stories from family history, wonderful quotes, little tidbits of information, links to interesting sites. She also has a unique hobby collection. Judy collects bizarre names. Ask her about them! She's got some hilarious doozies.

Michele is a Canadian bloggie social convenor who arranges and encourages weekend "meet and greets" between bloggers. During the week, Michele posts questions and ice breaker type activities for anyone to take part in. She has single handedly introduced new readers and writers to one another through her social network. It has definately broadened my own network. Thank you Michele........ oh, and when you visit her fun bloghome, please tell her I say "Hi." And then jump right into the meet and greet...... :0)

there you go.......... hopefully a few new friends to meet......... I didn't go by the rules and award these the way I was supposed to, but then again, I suck at rules. It's my wacked nature.

ps. I've run out of bloggie time today, but I will be fixing my sidebar tomorrow......the links, plus others will be there again...........thanks again......