Bloggers whose words make a difference

“What you do makes a difference,
and you have to decide
what kind of difference you want to make.”
― Jane Goodall

When I began my blogging journey a couple of years ago, I felt a bit like I was clinging to a life raft in the middle of a vast ocean all alone. But as I have continued my journey, I’ve been blessed to run across so many amazing writers with gifts that leave me speechless, make me want to change the world, or inspire me to be a better person/mother/writer/teacher.

One of those people is Kelly from Naked Girl in a Dress.

So imagine my delight when I read her post announcing that she had been honored by CV from Cubicle Views with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.

And then to read on and discover that she included ME in her list of bloggers who have inspired her.

Priceless.

But there’s a tiny catch.

A couple of rules to accepting this prestigious award:

1) I must share seven interesting things about myself.  Could be problematic given that I spend my days in relative obscurity, living a vanilla flavored life, in the middle of the country. 

and

2) I must pay it forward and honor at least seven other writers who have inspired me.

As you already know, I’m the penultimate rule follower.

So, I must follow these rules to the letter.

First, seven interesting things about me.

1. I despise most fruits, but eat almost every vegetable known to man. (My favorite vegetable: Brussels sprouts)

2. I love Law and Order (all versions) and can watch them over and over and over again because I can never remember the ending. I call this my Law and Order Amnesia.

3. My favorite punctuation mark is the semi-colon. I might just marry the next handsome, gainfully employed man with all of his teeth who can use one correctly.

4. The workings of the inner ear make me queasy. Enough about that one because even typing it makes  me want to pass out.

5. I would prefer to not be in the same room as a banana for the rest of my life. I don’t like the look of them, the smell of them, and their peel in the trash makes me want to  hurl. (The boys and I have what is known as the “banana rule” — I buy them, but they must eat them out of my presence and the peel must be covered by something else in the trash.)

6. My favorite flowers are the ones that bloom in early spring: tulips, daffodils and crocus.

7. My mid-life crisis will have something to do with the lack of time left in my life to read every possible book I want to read.

And now to rule #2: the list of bloggers who inspire me.

They have tossed me life lines, thrown back margaritas/red wine/coffee, and told me what I  wanted to hear.

When I’m feeling like I’m drifting, they are the ones whose words pull me back to my own strength. Each one of them continues to make a difference in my life.

In no particular order — I give you the writers who inspire me:

Brook — Redhead Reverie - A spunky redheaded mother of two boys who also strives to find balance. We’re still looking aren’t we?

Kathy – Kissing the Frog - Real laughter. Real tears. Just real.

Alexandra – Good Day Regular People - In addition to having the most compassionate heart, this woman can bring you to laughter and then to sweet tears in the same 300 words.

Elena – LiveDoGrow - Inspires me to be the best woman I can be — not to waste a minute of this precious life.

Galit – These Little Waves – Galit’s open heart, spectacular word choice, and tangible love for her children draws me in each and every time. And when I leave, I say to myself, “I want to write like she does.”

Katy – Non-Consumer Advocate – Katy tossed out the challenge again this year for her readers to consider committing to The Compact – a pledge not to buy new things for an entire year. I’m inspired by her dedication to the mantra: Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without. And as long as I don’t end up sitting naked in the compost pile, I’m delighted to be following her advice!

and

Kelly – Naked Girl in a Dress - She would be on this list even if she hadn’t been the one to send me the award. Her words have always resonated with me — helping me articulate the ups and downs of relationships in my life.  Inspiring me to put one foot in front of the other, to take a risk from time to time, and to be authentically myself.

I’m inspired by each and every one of these women in different ways. They make me want to be a better human.

And so I ask them (and you) who inspires you?