For The Love of…#JusJoJan

What an interesting thing Linda has challenged us with today with her prompt  of Why do you do what you do…in blogging. I made sure I add the part “in blogging” because then we would be trying to find the answers to “why do you try to get out of the car with you seat belt still attached” or “why are you looking all over the house for your glasses when you have them pushed up on your head”.

Some questions of why we do what we do really have no answers. But why do I blog, I can answer. I retired in February, not by choice as I enjoyed working but I was 66 and the new plant manager was a beast to say it lightly. So I said enough. Now what. I know, I will finish the book I started last year which was really a backwards way to write my memories so my children would have an idea as to “why I did what I did”. So as I sat down in February I got back to the book but it took on a life of its own and became more fiction that truth then it changed again to become a backwards way to tell others about Christ. Then I wondered if I could ever get this published so I joined the local writers guild and one of the guest speakers asked me what my platform was. Well she could tell from my “deer in headlights look” that I had no clue what she was talking about – still don’t but she did tell me if I ever wanted to be serious about writing I needed to have a blog. So in August, not having a clue as to what I am doing, I started a blog. The theme was sort of tied around the book but as the book has evolved, so did the blog. I use “For the Love of” to show anyone who reads my blog to know there is still a lot of love left in this crazy, chaotic and sometimes cruel world. I explore the beauty in nature, the beauty in people and I have become very fond of all the bloggers who are photographers. The beauty in this world that they show is enough to keep anyone blogging. It’s inspiring. I also enjoy all the friends I have met around this blue marble. At my age, it is still amazing I can talk to someone with a computer from countries I have never been to or never will get to. To see their world from their eyes and their heart is amazing.

With the tag line of “anitashope” I hope that to at least one person on any given day I have brought a smile, some encouragement, some love and have been able to reflect the light of Christ as he has asked us to.

Do I still want to get published, sure. Beside the book I have written several short stories, some flash fiction and now playing with poetry. But my style is not for everyone so finding that market is going to be tough.

And of course my end to all of my blogs remind all of us to be kind. Being kind is so easy some days and very hard some days but those are days when you will be blessed the most when you in turn are kind. Kindness is truly a gift to be shared with man and animal alike. So as always I encourage you to be kind.