Community

I skipped Monday's #reverb10 to take a mental break. I skipped Tuesday because the world was going crazy, but I'm feeling the urge to pick up yesterday's prompt and write.Two years ago I discovered the magnificence of blogs. Real blogs, with updates and RSS feeds and relevant information for my life. I devoured the accidental yogist and then things like 43Folders, ZenHabits and the Simple Dollar. From there I moved on to KathEats (which I've read almost daily for over a year now) and Dooce. I was all into life hacks and productivity and food.And then, this year, there was a shift.I began reading Susannah Conway, Kelly Rae Roberts, Tracy Clark and Gwen Bell. I was amazed by their creativity, their honesty and the community drawn into their circles.I've known for a while now that I am one lonely fish. I'm not sure why this is. I have a large network, but not a ton of close friends. I don't have a uniting activity in my life. I have lots of acquaintances - people who I see a few times per year or know me via my job - but I don't have a lot of stronger, deeper relationships. I certainly don't have a tribe. Not yet anyway.So today I thought, "I'm avoiding this community prompt b/c I feel I don't have one. OK, so, I don't have a community, but what is it that I'm so drawn to this year within these blogs?" And I thought, "It's the STORIES".That's probably why I started my own blog. Not to express myself, though that's part of the deal, but to feel more included when reading other's blogs, posts, tirades. To participate. I am standing with my toe in the water, but I haven't jumped in yet. I'm open to suggestions on HOW TO. It's something I hope to build on in 2011.