One year ago today I began my journey into the blogosphere. The inception of this blog happened because I longed for a way to express my grief over my father’s passing, our move to Arizona, and how I continue to fumble through this life, searching for grace in chaos.
This blog is very much a part of who I am. I enter into this space seeking refuge and a place to find an outlet for my thoughts. When people connect with what I’ve written, I am sometimes surprised, but always grateful. The support I’ve received from family, friends, fellow bloggers and readers is immeasurable. I enjoy writing my posts, but I also love when people relate to what I’ve written. On days when my other writing isn’t going as well as I would like, I will read an encouraging comment by a reader and regain momentum to continue with my project.
Ultimately, I believe we all want to be heard. Thanks for listening, reading and commenting. You give me the courage to write, even on those days when the blank page is so daunting that I don’t know where to begin.
Image by mommavista
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
This post is elegant simple prose. The essence of good writing.
Happy blogaversary! I look forward to reading many, many more posts of yours, Rudri. Your writing is always so beautiful!
Thanks Cheryl. I appreciate your support. I look forward to writing more posts too.
Congratulations Rudri, and by all means, write on! You have my full support.
Thanks Belinda. I am so grateful for all the support I receive from my fellow bloggers. It’s a rocking community of people, don’t you think?
Congratulations Rudri! Thanks for sharing. I lost both my parents in the last two years and writing about it is an outlet.
Keep on writing!!!
Thanks so much Ayala. I am sorry for both of your losses.
Writing is indeed cathartic. It helps me channel my grief. I appreciate you reading and commenting.
Glad to have found you and your blog!
Thanks Tiffany. I appreciate your support and your comments.
Happy Blogversary! Cheers and confetti!
Thanks KW! Appreciate your comments and look forward to reading your words and trying your recipes.
Rudri you always write so eloquently on your blog I cannot imagine you ever being lost for words in any context. Everything you say about what blogging had brought to your life holds true for me to, but I doubt I could say it quite so well. Congratulations on your one year blogversary – here’s to many more annual celebrations.
Jane: Thanks for your lovely compliments. I look forward to seeing your comments on my posts. I am so very grateful for your support.
Trust me – there have been many times when I’ve sat in front of the computer at an utter loss for what to write. I think we have all been there…
Happy blogoversary! I value your thoughts, ideas, and words. Thanks for putting them here.
Kelly: I appreciate your support. I am amazed at all of the inspiration in the blogosphere. It is truly breathtaking.
Congrats!!! Its a pleasure reading your blogs, keep writing. 🙂
Thanks so much Asha. I appreciate your words.
It is so cool knowing someone I shared my childhood with is interested in reading what I’ve written. Many many thanks.
I have really enjoyed reading your Blog. I have been able to relate to many of your posts and i’m looking forward to another year of reading your wonderful writing. Happy blog Birthday and Thank You!
Thanks so much Naseem. Your continued support is so appreciated. I hope with everyone’s good wishes that I can have another good writing year.
Happy days to you. A celebration of expression, thought, and word.
Thanks so much Jody!
love love love reading your post!!! I look forward to reading them everytime you make an entry. Happy Blogging!!!
I really appreciate your words of encouragement on my posts. I am so grateful that you enjoy reading them.
Happy, Happy One Year! I hope this space has given you what you so very much needed when you began. I am so pleased to have found you and am wishing you another year of blogging catharsis, introspection, reflection, and friendship!
I wasn’t sure what I expected when I started this blogging journey. I hoped to channel some of my emotions through writing as a way to cope with all of the changes in my life. What I found was a community of writers/bloggers that have encouraged, inspired and given me comfort when I have needed it the most. Thanks for being a part of this community.
Congratulations! This is big! And we’ve loved reading you and getting to know you. So thank you. And looking forward to more.
I learn so much from your blog. You inspire me to create better posts. I am so grateful to have met you through this community. Thank YOU.
Wow! Happy one year! I am so glad you decided to start blogging and that I found your words.
Thanks for being a loyal commenter. I value your words on my blog posts. I am equally glad that I found your honest and compelling posts too. Thanks so much.
Great job Rudri. Very insightful posts. Keep writing.
Nice seeing you here Navan. I appreciate the encouraging words and hope you keep reading and commenting.
Congratulations, Rudri, and happy anniversary! I always enjoy my visits here. You are a graceful and talented writer and I hope that you will keep blogging for many years to come.
Your words have been a source of inspiration to me. I look forward to reading your entries and I still revisit your post “pizza-pie perspective.” (such an awesome post).
I appreciate your encouraging words and hope for another fruitful year of blogging.
Happy blog birthday! I’ll echo everyone else in saying that I’m so glad you’re here to think and write and ask and answer big questions. Cheers to being heard.
Thanks Leslie. It’s so great that there is such a community of writers willing to ask questions about things that matter. And you are right, it is all about our individual voices and finding a place for them. I appreciate your voice and look forward to reading your words.
Congratulations on one year of writing here and here’s to many more.
Thanks Jayne! Appreciate your support. Your photographs are a work of continued inspiration.
You have something special going on here, Rudri. Thank YOU for sharing!
Thanks Windy. You and the other WWW women are my go-to-gals for writing. I sincerely appreciate your writing guidance. You encourage me to use my voice to be heard. I am forever indebted and grateful to you for being my personal writing cheerleader. Thank YOU Windy.
Very glad you began blogging! Happy to be reading you!
Nice to see a new face in my blogging space. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
Happy blogoversary…so glad you started you blog and that I found it!
Thanks Suzicate! Your pictures and words are amazing. Your poetry is also something that I admire. I am glad to have run across your blog.
Happy one year! You should be very proud of yourself and the body of work you’ve accomplished this last year. I love reading your blog. I wish I could put into words as eloquently as you do what I think of your talent. Simply put, your writing is a reflection of you … beautiful!!
Thanks Kathy. I appreciate your support and encouraging comments. It means so much.
Happy blogiversary, Rudri. It’s been such a pleasure, and I look forward to more of your writing. Keep on keeping 🙂
Thanks Justine. It has been great getting to know you, your family and of course Little Miss (I so think we should meet in person – as I have said before Little Miss and my daughter would get along fabulously). I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading more of your posts.
I’m a few days late and for that I’m sorry! But I’m celebrating here, sending you a toast of congratulations with my morning coffee! Keep writing, I’ll keep reading and connecting as often as I can. You have a special way here. I’m glad to know you!
Happy Blog-iversary!
Thanks Andrea. I appreciate you reading and commenting.
Congratulations! I had found your blog via Justine. I just celebrated my one year anniversary too and every word you wrote in the post above is exactly how I feel about writing/blogging. I agree that it is a tremendous feeling to know that others can relate or connect with you. I too get surprised whenever I hear feedback. Best wishes.