Hello, world! It’s been six years. Tonight, I was out with friends, and much to my chagrin, a dear friend told the entire table that I used to be a “famous blogger” (and I use that term extremely loosely). Whenever it comes up in conversation, the other person squints at me and says, “You? You had a blog?” and I confess that it’s true – I did!
It seems so far away now!
I suspect it seems out of character to the people who know me now.
But it’s a fun story to tell – how my blog started when the Internet was still kind, way back in 2008; how I used to share my mailing address with complete strangers without a second thought; how my friends, readers, and I were at the forefront of something and barely even knew it…; what the Internet was like before Instagram, Twitter and filters; how I felt deeply connected to people I never met in person, and how those connections were real and genuine; how writing in this space changed me forever; how it became something bigger than my thoughts and musings (the Operation Beautiful notes)….; and ultimately, one day, I just decided to stop. And then it was over. Completely. For six silent years. Until now.
I came home and immediately tried to break into my accounts. I haven’t opened any of it in six years. It was harder to get into the accounts than I hoped – the only ones that unlocked easily were email and the blog. So here I am.
I wonder what updates you would like to hear… Well, our kids are so much older! Henry is nearly 10 (well, 9.5)! It blows my mind. Claire just turned 7. They are amazing people; I’m so glad to be their mother. “The Husband” is still the absolute best thing that ever happened to me. Maggie (the dachshund) passed away two years ago; she went peacefully in my arms after a long, happy life. And our second dog James is still alive (he’s about about to turn 16!). There are new pets, new jobs, new friends, new homes, new hobbies… But so many things have stayed the same.
I still work out. I still eat healthy. It looks a little different now than it did in 2015, but I’m still of the belief that small efforts make a big difference. And health seems more important than ever these days. <3
It’s strange to think that I used to type here 3 times a day and rarely ran out of things to say. Now, at the age of 37, I feel so much quieter. Older. Wiser. More cautious. I’m not even sure what I’m doing now, by saying HELLO! But I wanted to pop in and say hi.
I last posted in this space in 2015 and – man, oh man – does life feel differently in 2021. I’m not sure I could have survived blogging in 2020 – 2021. But here we all are. About to close out 2021, another year of lessons under our belts.
So…. Hello, world. Is anyone there?
Lots of love,
CaitlinHTP
It’s like hearing from an old friend! I miss your voice! So glad that you are well and your family is thriving. â¤ï¸