It takes a village...

This is my village...Let me explain.

What exactly does it mean when people say "It takes a village to raise a child"? This is what Wikipedia says...

It means that a child does not just grow up within a home, where there may be a single parent or a combination of parents, but a child will grow up in a community, a village, and that a child will not grow up just in a home but in a social world with input and understanding from the village. Regardless of the childs upbringing, the child belongs to and is shaped by the community.

This blog is my community. I was listening to someone on T.V. talk about their blog and what it means to them. They mentioned that their blog is a community that they have created around them. To relate, to understand, to empathize, and to build relationships with the world around them. I could not live without my blog...or rather, I would not want to. I feel closer to my siblings, my nieces and nephews and friends because of blogging.

I have reconnected with old friends, made new friends, fallen in love with strangers because of their creativity or their heart wrenching experiences to name a few. I had lost touch with several of my closest friends from elementary, junior high and high school as well as college. To see pictures of them and their families has been so much fun for me. I need to stay connected with the people who truly made me the person I am today. I know those of us that blog spend what seems to be wasted time searching the blogoshpere. I will lay in bed at night and cry my eyes out for the parents who are being strong for their child with cancer, or the mom who has lost a child or wishes to someday have the chance to be a parent. I am continually amazed by people for sharing their stories with the world. I want to tell them this so bad. But I don't.

There are so many blogs that I read and am just a fly on the wall. Somedays I want these people to know just how much I look up to them, or appreciate their talent, or that I'm praying for them. But I continue to keep quiet. Maybe I keep quiet because I am in a hurry or lazy or for the fear of them thinking it is weird or random that I am reading their blog. I know lots of you feel the same way. But when I think about it, I would never be bothered if I got a random comment from anyone. More flattered than anythingl Well I want you to know that I am making a conscious effort to tell people in the blogging world that they are appreciated, loved, respected, looked up to...whatever the case may be.

I want you to know that if you are reading my blog, you are welcome to be here. It takes a village just to survive in this crazy world. I have learned so much, from so many different people through blogging and I am truly grateful for friendships I've made and rekindled.