Ten years. One decade.
It’s both an insignificant stretch of time, and an interminable one. It’s enough time to grow a productive (if petite) apple tree from seed; to grow a newborn into a certifiable tween. It’s more time than I ever thought I could devote myself to one single project, especially at the tender young age of 17. Clicking that now-familiar “publish” button for the very first time, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
Never one for the syrupy sweet prose nor navel-gazing of a self-congratulatory anniversary post, I want to simply, sincerely say thank you. YOU, for reading, whether it was from the awkward, ugly early days or just this very moment. It’s impossible to fathom all of the incredible people out there who have shaped my life up to this point, from the past 37,500 comments and counting. Life both online and off would look entirely different without every last line of text, even those who simply drop by to say “Yum!”
There’s nothing that could sufficiently express my gratitude, and so for weeks leading up to this moment, I was paralyzed with anxiety. How do I mark the occasion? How can I possibly repay these incredibly readers equal to the generosity they’ve shown me?
Quite frankly, I can’t.
I can only keep on writing, photographing, and sharing all the sordid details, for another 10 years or more- Only if you’ll be so kind as to indulge me.
Thank you.