On March 14th, 2011, I published my first ever blog post—and my world changed forever.

Ten years. Ten years of being immersed in this little community of blogging. It kind of blows my mind, when I think of it. Somehow it seems like I’ve been blogging forever and at the same time I still feel like such a newb.

Being as how it’s been ten years, I feel like I should do something extra special. Some big blog party or a giveaway or write a fun short story or something. I basically never do anything particularly grand for my blogiversary and I feel bad about that. It seems every. single. year. I only remember it like a week or less before it’s here and don’t have the time and/or mental energy to do something big. As it was this year. I was planning out my posts for March, had them all laid out, only to remember…WAIT. MY BLOGIVERSARY IS IN MARCH. And I’ve been blogging for ten years! But February kind of wore me out, if I’m being honest with you guys, and March is proving to be quite the full month. So, once more, it’ll be a quiet celebration over here.

(Maye one day I’ll be a cool blogger who does big, awesome things for their blogiversaries…)

Last year I did a “9 things of 9 things” for my 9th anniversary, where I listed out 9 things about myself in 9 different categories. It was fun, and you can learn all sorts of things about the face behind the blog if you care to give it a read.

This year, though, I simply want to tell you a story.

My foray into blogging started soon after I was coming off the high of my first ever NaNoWriMo. I had always loved writing ever since I was 9 years old, but after I tried NaNo it changed everything. I didn’t just like writing as a hobby—I wanted to pursue it wholly and completely. On the NaNo forums I had made my first ever writing friends, and from there discovered some blogs, which led to more blogs in which I began, at last, properly learning the writing craft. I had been intrigued by the idea of starting a blog, but when I learned about something called a “platform”— that essential tool all authors need in order to gain a followship and, ya know, sell their books—my mind was made up.

So one spring day I took the leap. I created a blog.

That little blog was on the blogger platform, and was called Musings of an Elf. (And it does indeed still exist RIGHT HERE, in all its messy glory.) I blogged in that space for a total of 8 years before finally, finally taking the plunge and getting myself my own domain name and switching over to WordPress. It was a ton of work, all of it.

Because it turns out blogging requires a bit of technological know-how and, well, quite a bit of screentime… It’s definitely been a time-consuming commitment, this little blog. Many headaches trying to constantly come up with new content. Endless hours of fighting with blogger’s formatting problems (so. many. formatting problems). Writing post after post, sometimes late into the night.

But it’s been worth it. Every single bit of it.

Because what I haven’t mentioned is the deep loneliness I was suffering when I first started my little blog.

In 2010, I graduated highschool. A lot in life changed after that, and I went through a period of time not quite sure what I wanted to do with my life, all while suffering from the fact that so many of my friends were already off doing things and finding boyfriends that later became husbands and everything was just changing. This social butterfly who never really suffered from loneliness before suddenly found herself very alone. And aloof. I wasn’t really sure who I was anymore, where I belonged, or what I should even be doing. I chose not to go to college for many reasons (of which I won’t delve into now), my health wasn’t great, I suddenly didn’t connect with my friends as much as I once did as they were going to college and getting married.

But then I participated in NaNoWriMo. In a glorious, chaotic month of words, my love for storytelling awoke in a way it never had before. Yes, I had been writing stories before then, had very much wanted to be an author one day, but I never made much effort toward that dream. But something about that crazy November in 2010, something clicked.

As I immersed myself in the NaNo forums with other writers, began emailing back and forth with newfound writing friends, started studying the writing craft for real, dove into writing story after story, and then took the plunge and started a blog—it felt right.

I felt like I belonged.

That aloofness and loneliness began to fade. I found myself pouring excited energy into this pursuit. And as time went on, it only became more and more amazing.

My blog grew, I connected with other fellow bloggers, and I began making friends that, to this day, are some of my dearest friends in all the world. I realized I never seriously pursued writing when I was younger because I didn’t have the community. That beautiful support of fellow writers who understand and readers who encourage me every step of the way.

The many, many comments, the enthusiasm for my WIPs, the constant encouragement, the friendships that have blossomed—sometimes when I think about it all, I nearly start crying from the sheer, overwhelming joy of it all.

As the years have gone by, my blog has undergone many changes. And so have I. I am a completely different person than that 18-year-old nervously publishing her first blog post one spring day. I had no idea what would come of it then. But God did. God knew what I needed at that strange time in my life, and that here, ten years later, it’d still prove to be one of my greatest blessings.

Maybe I’ve never gained a big following, maybe I’m not some blogging superstar, maybe my posts sometimes look like a 12-year-old wrote them and not an adult (ahem). And in this world of short attention spans and social media, I know the craze of blogging has faded. I know it’s not the key place to grow one’s platform anymore. But that doesn’t matter. It’s still something meaningful to me. Because the connections I’ve made through this little space have been invaluable. The healing and growth I’ve undergone as I’ve poured out so many thoughts and read so many other posts by amazing blogger friends is priceless.

This is a space I can sort through my thoughts with the magic of words. A space to fangirl and share books and thoughts on life and just have FUN. Instagram is great, but there’s something meaningful about having a whole space of my own to truly just be able to sit down and write, as well as connect with others in a way that’s not just rapidly scrolling through hundreds of pictures and quick captions.

I don’t know if I’ll be blogging for the rest of my life. (Though I have no intentions of quitting right now, so don’t panic!) But whatever happens, these 10+ years I have poured into blogging have been wholly and completely worth it. I don’t think I’d be who I am now without it. From getting my thoughts down to growing in the writing craft to making so, so many dear friends who share all my interests, this blog has been a GIFT.

As I sit here, reflecting on the years, all I can say is: THANK YOU.

Thank you for your enthusiasm over my stories, proving that maybe I do have a story worth telling and worth pursuing publishing with. Thank you for always encouraging me through the hard and happy times. Thank you for taking the time to read my posts and comment and follow. Thank you for fangirling/boying with me. Thank you for putting up with my silly posts and my long posts and being patient when I need a break. Thank you for your blog posts and producing so much wonderful content that brings me a smile and constantly blesses me.

If there is anything blogging has taught me, it’s that the world doesn’t have to be such a lonely place after all.

So thank you. Thank you for being a such bright light in my story.

Maybe by my 20th anniversary I’ll have my life together and can do a proper party. *winks*

Do you have any blogging stories to share? I love hearing about those! And have I mentioned thank you yet? Because, seriously, THANK YOU!!! Whether you’ve been following along since the beginning or just found me, I am so, so grateful to have you. <3