The help, the comfort
As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it.
Mahatma Gandhi
I’ve been thinking about commenting or retweeting since I read the post Karenne Sylvester wrote. I had been reading blogs before I started blogging but I never left a comment. It was most probably I was a stranger, not a member of the community. I wasn’t in their virtual lives, a lurker may be…I never thought I had to leave a remark, even a simple ‘Thank you’ note for what they had shared. Later, however, I learned I was wrong.
I felt the necessity of it after I started blogging and using twitter. It was not easy at first as I was thinking ‘who am I anyway?’ but my instincts were forcing me to add something so I started saying ‘Thanks for sharing all these great stuff’. I admired their enthusiasm and felt great when they replied me back. Then I saw comments for my posts. They were important because I realised that people came to my blog and read the things I had written. Retweeting also encouraged me and in a way I felt responsible for leaving comments to the posts that I was reading.
Blogging is different from keeping a diary. There is interaction. I receive positive energy from my colleagues and sometimes I feel I need to continue just because a colleague called me a great educator although I’m just a teacher or if I see a friend who just said s/he will use the idea or if a friend adds some more tricks to mine.
This interaction and positive energy enable me to learn something new every day. I feel more confident now while sharing my thoughts or leaving my comments to the posts I read and I know that those comments are a great way of encouaging the blogger to continue to write. From now on I’ll try to say more…:)
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I wish I had more time to post comments to every blog I read. I think it makes for positive interaction and I really do wish I could express to all blogs I read how much I appreciate learning from them, including your blog!
Thanks for dropping by.
You are a great help Shelly. You are helping all of us, motivating with your comments or RTing our posts and you are doing this so well. I admire your enthusiasm and learn lots of things from you about supporting, commenting, collaborating, even saying hello:-)
Eva
🙂 heh, heh – I was just stopping by to say hey, thanks so much for your controversial comment! Often, people don’t realize that when they disagree or when they say something that other people won’t say, it really helps to spark off debate and get lively conversations going. So, thanks a lot, I really enjoyed your contribution to the conversation over there.
Now, on to your point – yup, it’s only when we actually join the blogosphere (or other communities) that we realize how fun it is to talk back – before that, it seems so strange that people are actually writing their thoughts online!
See ya!
K
Hi,
Glad you enjoyed. I also thank you for making me think, rethink…It’s great to have friends to discuss things and try to improve yourself but the ones here on blogosphere are luckier as we also have a chance to continue our discussions.
Thanks for your comment.
Eva
I know how you feel. I never realized people actually interacted on blogs until I made that comment on TEFLClips. Even after that I still didn’t think anybody really read them.
I started reading a lot of blogs and thought, “hey, I got something to say, why not say it?” My first real comment was on the DELTA Publishing blog. Oh, what a nightmare! Turns out everyone was reading it and it got shot around Twitter like crazy. I had stepped in way over my head and resparked a debate I didn’t even know existed.
It was great though because I encountered a ton of people that really care about teaching and it was very encouraging. I also love to debate in general.
I like to be opinionated and it has gotten me in trouble a time or two on various blogs, but, like Karenne says, it’s the controversial statements that get people really fired up and talking, so I don’t think it’s always a bad thing.
I can’t say your blog could ever be accused of being controversial, but I always find it a good read 🙂
Thanks Nick,
What I’m really trying to do is just sharing my reflections on my journey. I’m glad you find it a good read.
Eva
I am following your example and leaving a post. I love getting comments on my blog so understand your point. The comment is a good way to share ideas.
Thank you Judie. This is a great comfort 🙂