Readers – Marilyn R. Gardner

Every day, right after I click on the small, blue “Publish” button on my WordPress dashboard, I think “What have I done? How do I possibly think anyone would want to read this?” and the self-doubt continues. And then, as I push the thought aside, close the program and concentrate on the rest of the day, I forget until I get an amazing comment or email from one of you. And in those comments and emails is my answer. Because you inspire and encourage; challenge and argue; read and share….and so I know that it’s worth all the time, the energy, and the self-doubt.

So thank you! As my sister-in-law recently said to me “Blog on”… so I will. Have a great Saturday!

blogging cartoon — Blog on Marilyn! Blog on!

Are you tuning into this blog for the first time? Welcome and check out these posts that others have liked!

Click here to learn more about Communicating Across Boundaries

As a reader you know who I am. In a sense many of you see me every day. You have heard my rants, gone to family weddings, participated in a faith journey and more. But who are you? What do I know about you?

There’s so much I don’t know. Some of you have blogs and I can learn more of you: there’s Amy from The Messy Middle who lives in China; there’s Pari from Weaving Tapestries, currently living in Kuwait but with a life that spans the globe; there’s Averil from The Cook, the Baker and the Clay Boy Maker who lives in India and has amazing recipes; there’s Stacy from Minnesota who blogs at Slowing the Racing Mind and Isabella from the prairies of Canada blogging at Catholic Dialogue – all people who I’ve learned from and grown through. But there are many without blogs and while I get a bit of your story through comments and emails, I’d love to know more.

WordPress sends out a year report to all bloggers who use their platform and from it I gained some interesting information about you, the reader.

You come from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Netherlands, Germany, China, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and more. Your visits to Communicating Across Boundaries would have sold out the number of seats at the Sydney Opera House over 20 times. Your comments reflect, inspire, challenge and tell more of your story.

During this next year I want to know more of your stories – the stories of where you live and what brought you there, your stories of identity and adjustment; belonging or disconnect. Most of all your stories on communicating across the boundaries in your life. So keep on coming by and let’s keep this communication across longitudes, latitudes, religions, views, values, borders, nations and more going. Keep on communicating.across.boundaries – it’s a great way to learn and live.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 53,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 20 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.