Dancing at My Desk

Back from the Bliss

It’s been over 48 hours since I returned from the glorious haven of the Opryland Resort in Nashville and the Blissdom 2010 Conference and I’m still readjusting to “normal.”

But I’m not normal. Something has changed. Something is different.

I can’t put my finger on it. But it’s there.

And it doesn’t seem to be going away.

I’ve read several posts over the past few days about  revolutions and resolve and refocusing. Yes, all those things are happening here too. But there’s something else.

I’ve heard of new friendships formed, new blogs to read and new things to try. Again, yes to all three. And yet…

It’s more than empowerment. It’s more than permission. It’s more than an awakening.

And, there it is.

It’s Freedom.

Freedom to write in my own voice. Freedom to tell you the stories even if you don’t care. Freedom to share and hold back and share some more.

And that freedom was granted to me by 500 blogging women who shared their struggles over lunch, in elevators and while dropping our kids off in the childcare. It was shared over ice cream with a dear friend who just seems to get me. 500 women all “got” me this past weekend.

And I’m so grateful.

I don’t need to write about the sessions; the ones I attended are here in black and white for you to read.

I don’t need to be the top blogger, the wittiest blogger, the funniest blogger.

But I do need to be me.

And I do need to remember the freedom I just got.

So feel free to remind me. When I start sounding fake. When I start repeating myself. When I stop blogging regularly.

Remind me how good I feel right now. Remind me how this freedom hit me like a ton of bricks. Remind me that writing has always fueled me in the tough times for as long as I can remember. Remind me how much I love words and how it’s practically torturous not to share them, even with the void.

Remind me. And I promise to thank you for it.