Staring at a blank screen, the thin cursor blinking steadily, patiently back at me, it’s hard to know just where to begin. That was the case eleven years ago, and is still the case today. Beyond mere numbers, wildly improbable, previously impossible changes have come to pass since then; it’s a far different world now than I imagined back then, or could possibly conjure up in the most outlandish of dreams. Through the good and the bad, this little corner of the internet has been here, a welcoming space for all that may come to pass. Even when I begin a new post without a clue as to what to say, almost 1,500 published pieces prove that there’s a surprising wealth of untold stories left to share.
If BitterSweet was a child, it might be officially be considered a tween now. It would be in the 5th or 6th grade at this point, a miniature adult with real opinions, passions, and friends. It might even be going through puberty, experiencing growing pains or questioning itself as it changes and attempts to find its place in the world. Maybe I’m taking the personification a bit too far, but it’s hard to deny that it all sounds pretty accurate.
Raising and nurturing BitterSweet has been an interesting journey, to say the least. It wasn’t always a conscious decision that guided my parental strategies, and yet in spite of my oversights or misguided judgements, I’d like to think that my baby has turned out pretty darned well. I can’t take all the credit though; it truly does take a village. Without you, my lovely, dearest readers, this space would have become neglected and gone silent long ago. I wish there was something more to add, something I can give back in return, but no small token would ever amount to the gratitude I hold for all your comments, views, likes, and emails have meant to me over all this time. Eleven years may be an impossibly long lifespan for the average blog, but in human years, we’re just getting started.
Thank you for being there, whether it was from the beginning or from just this post today, to help bring BitterSweet into the world and make it what it is. I couldn’t have done it without you- ALL of you. As long as you keep reading, I’ll keep on writing, cooking, crafting, photographing, and sharing… for another eleven years, at least, but hopefully more.