There’s no way I’m going to be as eloquent as this topic deserves, but this post has been rolling around for a while, and today is the right day to set it to words. Please bear with me here.

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I started reading blogs while I was pumping. It gave me something to focus on to pass the time of the at least two hours a day I spend listening to the WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR of the slightly quieter than a jet engine pump. People shake their heads in amazement that I can pump without losing my mind – I credit blogs with how I’ve kept my sanity the last 7 months. Reading you has kept me connected to the world when I would have rather spent all of our retirement on baby clothes and house stuff. You keep me distracted and keep my son breastfed. That’s a good gift.

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Blogging helped me accidentally find a friend I haven’t talked to in years. Not just any friend, but the daughter of my mom’s best friend from college. (I keep meaning to blog that story!)

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The first time I ever commented on Veronica’s blog it was answering her question about why people don’t support her choice to be a young mother. She’s *coughcough* years younger than me, and she’s the one who pointed out that babies aren’t supposed to eat strawberries. Um. Oops. She’s got her act together loads better than me almost every single day. Motherhood is about taking responsibility and making thoughtful choices, and she does it well.

Reading Kami’s blog, and the waiting for Keaton, reinforced for me that I really do believe that family is about parents who love you, whatever the gender mix, and I think that little boy is the luckiest boy on the west coast this Thanksgiving Day.

I loved this post about the Spanish Story Hour by the FruitFemme. She worked through a language challenge (I hate to call it a barrier) and connected with another mom, helping out when the mom needed help.

Audubon Ron can make me laugh and teach my heart and mind more about my faith all in the same week.

This kind of stuff opens my eyes and helps teach me a valuable lesson.

We’re all in this together.

I might think I’m some disenfranchised, cynical, misanthrope. But I’m not alone.

My point of view? Eh. It’s mine. I could cling to my point of view on some subjects and never try to see another way of thinking.

But why? Why cling to one thought?

Why not look farther? Why not look closer? Why not look for how we are similar? Why not see if your way might just be better than my way? Why not learn something new?

The more blogs I read, the more I learn that the world isn’t looking for my approval, I might not always understand, but if I try, I might just come close. And really, the more I learn, the more I see that it’s really not my place to understand, it’s my job not to judge.

And if I can see another’s point of view in a blog, then how about outside my house? In the line at the grocery store? How about in traffic, where every effing driver is clearly NOT as smart or skilled as me on the road?

So this Thanksgiving Day, as I’m thankful for a plate full of white comfort food, being mostly settled in a home, my husband, and the Kaiser, I am thankful for all of you. All of you from around the world who take time out of your life to share your story. By sharing your stories, you are making me a better person, and “thank you” just isn’t big enough for how grateful I am for all of you this year.

Now I have to go rescue Kaiser, he’s crawled under the exersaucer again.

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