You Don’t Have to Be a Blogger
Once upon a time on a Tuesday morning, I wondered what would happen if I posted a photo of a microphone and invited folks to talk. That’s how Tuesday Open Comment Night began.
People came and the conversation started. I had no idea what it would become – a weekly adventure of playing, dancing, talking, and making friends in the comment box. I had no idea that I was investing 4 hours of every Tuesday for next “rest of my life.”
So many people have come along, left a word, made a friend, and moved on. That the comment box is filled with laughter, discovery, and wisdom. I could leave my blog today, and relationships and memories made here would still be.
When Terry and Chris first got serious about SOBCon07, I stood back wondering whether it was a good idea. They stood smiling and tall, shook their heads, and brought me along until I was with them. My gratitude will never find it’s way to the right words.
Last night, Joanna Young arrived in Chicago — her first trip to this continent — to meet everyone and share in something we started. She said
But as I was flying in I started thinking about all the people I knew in these mysterious places that have just been names on a map up to now, and it suddenly felt a lot more familiar and real.
I realize now that we had made a worldwide comment box on the ground.
You don’t need to be at SOBCon or in Chicago to know about conversation and connection. You don’t have to be a blogger to know how words can bring people to know each other’s head, heart, and purpose in life. You don’t have to put your thoughts and your feelings in the comment box every day to make a relationship that will last a lifetime.
But it helps.
Thank you to every person who’s ever joined the conversation.
You’ve changed the world.
Do we ever know how many lives we touch with what we say?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!! SOBCon08 is May 2,3,4 in Chicago. Register now!
Hi Liz!
I can’t wait to get to Chicago! It will be so much fun to meet Joanna – and Karin too (right?) – and to see other faces for the first time since last year (Terry, Chris, Phil…).
See you Friday!
Ann
Hi Ann!
Joanna, yes. Karin is still at the other end of the train . . . we’ll get in the same place with her one day soon.
Can’t wait until you’re here. Maybe will take folks to the Lux for a drink on Saturday. What do you think?
Liz, you’ve put it so beautifully. That’s just precisely what it’s all about.
I felt so good as I was flying in yesterday, then driving into the airport, thinking about you, all the people I’d meet, all the people I wasn’t going to meet this time but were wishing me well, keen to find out how things were going, good intelligent loving kind people… who’ve learned to be friends.
Through a comment box!
I’m so glad I made it to open mic night last night. I needed to eat, but I needed to check in there too!
So looking forward to meeting you… soon 🙂
Joanna
Hi Joanna!
It’s exactly why we love this so much, why we work so, and why we smile when we do. 🙂
I think it’s probably just as well that we don’t know how many lives our words will touch before we utter them, or I think they might get tangled and stuck before they made it onto the page/post/ comment box.
I know that there will be much conversation and connection going on in the next few days in Chicago. I’m sure that the words you exchange there, just as the words you share here, will be thoughtful, inspirational, and illuminating, and will touch the lives of many others.
Hi Amy!
The sheer power of what you point out here is overwhelming. Our words on the Internet could be viewable for generations and generations. We’ll never know how they might value them.
That’s the most compelling argument for being authentic. 🙂
Howdy, y’all! Can’t wait to see you folks this Friday! Howdy, Joanna – welcome to the U.S. of A.!
Liz, as time goes by (hey, isn’t that a song cue?), we’ll see this and other, similar phenomena grow, develop, spin off, transform, jump and jive, and generally ripple across time AND space.
And why not? That’s the power of taking a risk, making connections, words, friendships, laughter, learning…
Hey, isn’t it fun to be caught in the nexus? 😀
I love Tuesday nights – even though I haven’t been able to sneak over the last few weeks – because they are such a wonderful way to talk, network and learn from others who’s paths I may not otherwise cross.
Enjoy SOBCon08 – I wish I was going to be there with you all in person, but it just wasn’t in the cards again this year. One of these days….
Can’t wait to see all the pix!
So glad to hear Joanna arrived there all right, Liz. She has been so excited about attending SOBCon 08. Wish I could be there, too!
Joanna has so much to offer you.
Robert,
Giving you a hug is something that I’m so looking forward to. 🙂
Char,
I wish we could have made it happen this year. Gosh you’ll be missed.
Hi Robyn!
Yeah, Joanna is a special attraction of this year’s event. We’re lucky to have her.
Wish you and Ellen were with us too!
Oh Liz I do love your readers. Howdy Robert! Robyn, thank you for your concern. I’ve had the most fabulous day, including a trip out to see Brad in his home town. Your name was mentioned in dispatches 🙂 In fact, I think we talked fondly about just about everyone here in this conversation 🙂
Joanna
Hi Liz & company – this is really going to be fun. It was a thrill seeing Joanna get off the train in Geneva – never thought I’d be sitting in my neighborhood tavern with an incredible person from Scotland I never would have heard of were it not for our love of blogging.
Hey Joanna and Brad,
This is why we do it. 🙂
Amen! Yes! Thank you Liz and co. for this conversation, along with so many others. I can’t not quote this someplace. 🙂