To Blog or Not to Blog...Every Day

My folks and I attended Syd's play together today. Before the doors to the auditorium opened we sat talking in the lobby. "I didn't see you put up a new blog post yesterday", Dad said. "Well, I did write one", I replied, "In fact I posted it at 11:58pm!" "You did?", my Dad asked incredulously. "You know", he continued, "You shouldn't write one every day. Do it once a week instead". I teased him by saying, "Dad, you don't have to read it every day. You don't even have to read it once a week if you don't want to".

But I knew what he was saying. Dad was trying to tell me that it would be okay for me not to write a new blog post every day. I'd have more time perhaps to do other things or to simply sit and relax more if I did a weekly entry only. He was suggesting that I am putting undue pressure on myself to post a new View from the Dock every day. But I told Dad (and Mom who listened in too), that I find these daily blog entries personally therapeutic to write each day. I never even know for sure, if at all, what I am going to write about when I sit down to write them. "You don't?" Dad asked in disbelief. No, I find it fun to see where my head and heart take me when I begin a new one. Sometimes I do think about possible topics on my way home from work. Some days I think of something and go looking for a picture. Other days I look at pictures for inspiration. There's no set strategy. I enjoy the serendipity of it all.

Each day I look forward to writing one of these blog posts. I enjoy the challenge I have set upon myself to see how long I can continue this daily writing and posting streak. Last night was especially fun. We arrived back at our hotel at 11:30pm. I felt a surge of adrenaline hit me. Could I manage to write a blog and get it posted before the next half hour?! Would tonight be the night my record was broken? I needed to at least TRY to succeed. I think my husband was quietly cheering me on to finish it before the stroke of midnight. He fell asleep but woke up long enough to ask if I'd made it. When I posted with just two minutes to spare, it was like breaking that ribbon at the finish line of a race. I smirked to myself. Personal satisfaction. Sure, it's silly. There's no reason for me to post a new blog entry each day, other than I'm having fun doing this. I am curious as to how far I can take it.

I think of my New Year's Day mantra, the one I shared with Charlie when we went for what would be our last snowshoeing trek together; No Expectations. No Fear. Let's Just See What Happens. I don't know from one day to the next whether I'll be able to post a new blog entry. But I've been writing a new one each day since December 28, 2010 and this creative outlet and this personal challenge of my own design has been so rewarding these past 47 days. No, I don't need to write every day. Maybe I should not write every day. But I WANT to write every day. So that's it. Until a day when I cannot or will not, I'll meet you back here on the dock. No expectations. No Fear. Let's just see what happens.