A Year of Ink

Posted by Brad Osborne on August 26, 2020 · 30 Comments 

 

 

As it is so rare that I editorialize, I will beg my readers to bear with me, if this post is longer than a one minute read. I want to celebrate a milestone with the people I must surely thank.

 

A while ago, a year in fact, I was inspired and challenged by the blog, Borden’s Blather, written by Jim Borden. Although I find his posts wonderfully written, entertaining, and informative, it was his consistency that really left a mark. Jim is celebrating over five years in a row of posting to his blog daily. It was nice to have someone I enjoyed reading be available to me every day and I found myself so looking forward to his posts with great anticipation. And I was never disappointed, because like clockwork, each day had a pearl for me to read and enjoy.

 

It made me question my own efforts at writing. How consistent was I being at committing the time it takes to write? Why did I always use the onset of my muse as a prerequisite to writing? My muse does not willingly hide from me, I just don’t always take the time to look for her. And I learned that I must be more committed with my time and my muse. I decided I would challenge myself to post daily for one year. Not as lofty an accomplishment when compared to Jim’s success, but you need to start somewhere and that seemed an achievable goal.

 

I am happy to share that yesterday’s post was the end to that journey, having posted daily for one year. I know that Jim has found it challenging, which he has often discussed in his posts. But I did not know how challenging it would be. Once my blog took on poetry as its theme and greatest purpose, I, all too late, realized I would need to write a poem every day. But, as a former Marine, we are known for being a bit tenacious and stubborn. We are ingrained with a “no quit” philosophy and it seems to stick with us long after our service. The Marine mascot is not a bulldog by accident.

 

In reality, it was not about writing a poem every day. For one, I have a tendency to write in bunches. So, when the muse struck, I wrung her for all she was worth, and on some days, wrote as many as five or six poems. Other days, when my muse relationship was strained, the paper would go without ink. But, somehow, we saw it through to have a new composition for each day. Secondly, I began a series each week called, “Tuesday Tidbits”. A series of original quotes meant to inspire and support my fellow writers and artists. It gave me one day in the week when I did not need to have a poem to post. It doesn’t sound like much, but that is fifty-two less poems in a year. It is substantial. The series offered seven quotes each week. So, in turn for skipping fifty-two poems, I took on writing three hundred and sixty-four quotes. I started it as a limited series (fearing I would run out of pithy things to say), but its success has made it one of my most liked series and kept it going to this day. One of the other challenges of my blog was starting my series “Whittled Words”, which looks at the many various forms of poetry available to the writer. This still required an original poem in the form chosen, but it also gave me an opportunity to learn and try forms while sharing that journey with others. This learning is what will always remain with me and is invaluable. A real gift given in simply trying.

 

I owe this success and all the benefits I have garnished from this effort to so many people that they would be impossible to list without missing someone. So, I will not try to name you all. You all know who you are, and I hope that, in the passing of this time, I have told you more than once how much I appreciate each of you. Your readership, support, and following of my blog, wrapped in the heart-felt and genuine kindness of your comments and words, have kept this ship afloat in the calms seas and the raging storms. Each day I would be touched by something from you that strengthened and nourished me to continue. I have learned something from all of you. Many of your own beautiful writings and poetry have challenged me to elevate my art and hone my own skills. You have pushed me to be a better writer, to see the world through more open eyes, and to be a better person. I try to take the occasion to thank everyone in a post (no, I usually post a poem that day too, it wouldn’t be fair to cheat), but “Thank you” seems to never be enough. I am happy to celebrate this achievement with all the people who are so deserving of my humble and forever thanks.

 

Although, I cannot list you all, I would like to pay special recognition to just a few:

 

To Jim:

 

And here, you only thought you inspired and taught the youth of the world in your lecture hall. Without it as its purpose, your success challenged me to find my own, and in doing so, taught me more about who I am and who I want to be. I will always be grateful for that knowledge, your words, and your friendship!

 

To my loving sister:

 

Long before words were important to me, you were always there. You are my family! Wholly loved, deeply cherished, until my ink ceases to flow. I want no world without you in it!

 

To my muses:

 

Each of you is unique in your beauty and the grace which you bestow on me by gifting me words. Your love, your inspiration, your glow are the sun, moon, and stars in my universe. May my words shine back on you as brightly!

 

 

“The gift of words, holds within it every possibility. Boundless permutations of human thought, emotion, and expression. It is like the universe wrapped with a bow. And, how do you thank someone for that?”

 

 

 

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