Episode 44: Are Even You Reading This?

Do we ever really know?

It’s funny having a job on social media where you write, create, photograph, make things, and then publish it on the Internet for someone to read, learn from, be inspired by, or react to in some way.

I never expected to have an Internet-based job, but the early days of blogging in 2005 somehow led my graphic design path in a different way, and I’ve found myself in an ever-evolving virtual community since then.

I went from sharing to no one…

to sharing to a few people…

to sharing to more people…

and then a lot more.

But sometimes you don’t really know if anyone is seeing or reading what you write/make/share or even getting to the end of your caption/paragraph/post/story.

Sometimes it feels so very one-sided to share on the Internet. Here I am telling you or showing you something, and it often feels like a vast space where my words could go.

But then one day, someone writes you and tells you how a story you told, a photo you shared, a moment you expressed, or something you did made them laugh, smile, think, grow, relate, become more confident, or think differently about something.

And then you realize…

Well, it doesn’t matter if not everyone is reading this. It matters if the people who do need that message, tip, idea, or memory got to read it and appreciate it.

And, for me, that’s made this very unusual job stick with me still for all these years. To those who choose to use the Internet as a way to share their voice and talent and work, there is space for everyone. It’s just a matter of finding which space feels right for what you do and what you want to share with the world. You never know who you might reach…and that feels pretty spectacular.

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Girl at computer image created by me with Midjourney AI.