An Absentee Blogger Returns...Momentarily!

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it! Notice the bumble bee, the small child, the smiling faces. Smell the rain and feel the wind. Live your life fully."  ~Ashley Smith~

All of you (and you know who you are!) who have endearingly professed to have missed me (thank you for that!) during my extended leave-of-absence, please don't get too carried away by my sudden reappearance. Save those bottles of bubbly and cheers of welcome for some more deserving cause. This is just a brief appearance, occasioned by all of the lovely messages I've been receiving expressing concern at my lengthy silence and absence.

Allow me to reassure you that I am in good health (hale and hearty!) and happy with life. It's just that priorities have required my attention to be focussed elsewhere for the time being. I am not sure how long that will be, but I'm guessing for as long as my current circumstances dictate. And, no, there is nothing untoward happening in my life. On the contrary, I am in a very good place right now. I still have my wonderful, loving family and the robust antics of our five, lively dogs to keep me busy, centered and most definitely grounded.

"In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes; so with present time."  ~Leonardo da Vinci~

Do I miss blogging? Absolutely! Do I miss all of the special bloggers who I have been privileged to come to know on a more personal level? Of course! Do I think of you all? Frequently! Then...why have I not been visiting? Well, that's part of the reason I've needed to take an extended hiatus. There are so many of you and I found myself spending ages trying to keep up with all of you, especially those of you who post several times a week! You had me on the hop! When I started blogging in November 2010, I had no idea that blogging could become such a time-consuming activity, or that it lent itself to establishing so many connections with others for whom I'd begin to develop a real sense of kinship and, in some instances, even affection. The vast physical distances that separate us all and the fact that we only know each other in virtual space and time seemed no reason to temper these emerging friendships. In fact, I found myself becoming increasingly wrapped up in everyone's blogging lives and personas, even though I did occasionally find myself wondering whether all those lives/personas were real. After all, nothing prevents any of us from becoming whoever we wish to project.

When family members begin to comment more frequently on the amount of time you're sitting at your computer, visiting blogs and leaving comments, and suggest this has the potential of becoming an unhealthy addiction, it generates good reason to pause and reevaluate priorities.

After all, I suspect most of us can benefit from being periodically reminded that the life we lay claim to is the only real one we're going to have, so we'd best appreciate every fleeting moment...even if that means temporarily refraining from the pleasurable past-time of blogging!

"If the essence of my being has caused a smile to have appeared on your face or a touch of joy within your heart, then in living I have made my mark."  ~Thomas Odem~

Until such time as I resume my seat in front of my computer's keyboard and once more take up my position as a blogger, I wish each and every one of you everything of the best. And, yes, I miss you too!