Why did YOU begin blogging?

A hobby?  A venue for your business? A creative outlet?  Maybe you were lonely and looking to make more friends? Whatever the reason you began Blogging I'm sure you will agree, it has become a  lot more significant to you now, am I right? 
For me, it started as a place to share horsemanship adventures with family and cousins but soon evolved into a daily opportunity to go on a virtual vacation and become inspired.
I gain decorating ideas from all over the country.  Fabulous cooks and bakers transport me to savory and sweet heaven.


Before I even realized it, I've become interested in Causes, other peoples collections and styles, and learned about Artists I would have otherwise never known about.  And then there's the pictures...Awww the pictures! 
They speak volumes. Some of you have inspired me to actually "think" about moving beyond a point and shoot. But,.... one step at a time.
However, the writing part was and still is a stumbling block for me.  When I was a young girl I used to keep a dairy, you know the kind, you kept secure with that "little key" for fear someone might get at my most inner thoughts?  "No one should ever be allowed to see that!"  As if I had anything significant to write about....   Maybe, it's that  fear of "the critics",  that holds me back.  Afterall, I was always my English teachers worst nightmare.  I actually wrote the "uhs"... Consequently, blogging has been a slow process for me. 
Although, so far, I've not found any critics, just loving support from other women, who share common enthusiasm for the things that I enjoy...but more important, it's my hope that I could actually be inspirational or of help to someone else.

I try to come into my blog each day with that "Life is good" attitude.   But, it's not fair to my followers to only show that part of me when, everyone knows that life isn't good "everyday."  So I try let them see every side of me, the vulnerable, the mom, wife and grandmother.  The strong side, the brave, scared and determined. There is something about "speaking to the universe" in this way that forces me to look deeper into myself  to decide how I really feel about something before I write. It has taught me to choose my words carefully because by the time I put it into words, and carefully edited it, I begin to see that the magnitude of my blessings overshadow the trials I might be facing. "blog-erapy." Can I invent that word?  Much less expensive than your typical therapy and many would argue, better. ;-)

Now, I invite you to take a few minutes here, to share with us, why you began blogging and what it has brought to your life?