I was recently reminded why I started the New Blog Of The Week (NBOTW) series. On an old post of mine titled Help For New Bloggers With Low Traffic, I got a new comment.

The comment said,

Thank you for writing this! I am a new blogger, and I’m learning everything as I go. I really enjoy the medium; I like being able to write my thoughts and ideas down, publish them instantly, and share them with the world (or at least the 5 or so people that happen to come by)

Sometimes I get a little discouraged because I feel like I have so much good stuff to share, but people just don’t seem to be interested. Posts like this help me “keep the faith!” Thank you again!

As I read his comment, I thought, “Isn’t this how we all felt when we started blogging?” Wanting to share our thoughts but discouraged because our blog doesn’t “get found”?

When I clicked over to this blog, I found a treasure trove of marvelous writings and knew he had to be this week’s pick for New Blog Of The Week.

In his post titled: Wrong Trains, Airports, and Relationships , he writes,

Briefly, I theorized that life is like a long train ride, with lots of stops along the way. We get on the train, and we ride to our destination, where we get off the train. From time to time, we share the ride with other passengers, and they share their ride with us. As long as our paths are synchronous, we ride the train together, learn from each other, share our joys and sorrows, and move forward. When our paths divert, either we get off the train, or they do, and we begin to move apart. Our paths might cross again at some point in the future, and we can share the train ride again, or they might not. Our job is to enjoy their company while they are with us, but to let them go freely when their path takes them away.

I see that as the perfect analogy? We do that, don’t we? We learn to enjoy a person’s company for the length of time we’re blessed to know them.

Reading his post titled Take Time To Heal I was reminded of hurts that kept me down. He described what I’ve also felt, to a “t”. He said

I’m beginning to realize that taking the time to heal isn’t as bad as I have always believed it was. It doesn’t mean that I’m weak. It doesn’t mean that I quit, or gave up too easily. It’s just human nature. I am wounded, and I need to take some time for myself before I rise to face my next challenge. Sometimes it takes a few days, while other times it takes a few weeks or even months. But somehow, I always manage to get back up again.

My favorite post of his is titled My Dad, My Hero, where he writes about life lessons he learned from his father. A sampling from the lesson on how to herd cows says,

The cow will always be bigger than you, stronger than you, and faster than you. The only possible way to win is by being smarter than the cow. In any conflict, the biggest, strongest, and baddest usually wins. You can beat those odds by being smarter and more determined.

Doesn’t that sound just like life? When we encounter a problem we think is insurmountable, we need to be smarter. Be determined. With the right mindset, we can conquer anything, cows included.

O.K. my dear readers, I’ve made you wait long enough. Please join me in welcoming Jay Schrver, author of “Porsidan”

While on his site, take time to go through his archives. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Jay, welcome to the Blogging Without A Blog community.

Enjoy your reign.

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