Happy Birthday!

        

                   JOURNAL

                                     

                                          

Yes, my journal is one year old today! I can hardly believe it.  When I first dipped my toe into the world of journals, I never thought I would be able to keep it going for a month, let alone a year.  To be honest, I did three entries.  No comments, no reaction.  I then did a fourth entry (now deleted) actually stating that I was giving it up because obviously nobody wanted to read what I had to say. That is when people came forward with words of encouragement that decided me to keep going.

After I had, with lots of help, mastered the art of adding pictures and graphics, I knew exactly how I wanted my journal to be and have tried my best to accomplish it. I wanted it to be bright, friendly, welcoming, not sticking to one particular subject.  That is why I called it a miscellany - because there are pieces on all sorts of themes. I wanted it to be like a favourite magazine, something people could pick up, sit back and enjoy. Of course, just like a magazine, you cannot please all of the people all of the time. Some like one thing, others like another,  but on the whole I have tried to vary it from week to week or day to day.  I hope in the past year I have made you smile, laugh, choke back a tear, that I  have pricked your own memories, given you ideas.

Looking back, if I had to pick the entries I am most proud of  I would have to say they would be:-

Johnny - A Personal Memory

written on the 19th August 2004

and

My Grandmother's House - a series I did that ran from the 21st August - 6th September 2004.  If and when you access "Johnny" you will see the links to these entries on the same page.

I do hope some of my new readers will take the time to go back and read them.

In the end though, no matter how our journals look, no matter what we write about, none of it would mean much without the readers.  A lot of you have commented faithfully almost since day one, new people have come along and surprised me with an unexpected comment.  I know there are people who do read and never comment. A couple of people have told me they have been encouraged to start a journal because of mine. I felt honoured. That is what matters in the end, you, the readers.

So to all of you -  known and unknown, seen and unseen, I would like to say a very very big

You have made it all worthwhile.  You are the ones that keep me writing.

I have made some wonderful friends through blogs (I am not particularly keen on that word) and I have read some wonderful entries, seen beautiful photographs and artwork. This is the best community there is.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you all for your support, your comments, your friendship and your love.  God bless you all.