A couple of days ago, Absolute Vanilla wrote a post about having received this “Noblesse Oblige” award.
The blurb accompanying the blog says:
The recipient of this award is recognized for the following: 1) The Blogger manifests exemplary attitude, respecting the nuances that pervades amongst different cultures and beliefs. 2) The Blog contents inspire; strives to encourage, and offers solutions. 3) There is a clear purpose at the Blog; one that fosters a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture, Sciences, and Beliefs. 4) The Blog is refreshing and creative. 5) The Blogger promotes friendship and positive thinking.
The Blogger who receives this award will need to perform the following steps: 1) Create a Post with a mention and link to the person who presented the Noblesse Oblige Award. 2) The Award Conditions must be displayed at the Post. 3) Write a short article about what the Blog has thus far achieved – preferably citing one or more older posts to support. 4) The Blogger must present the Noblesse Oblige Award in concurrence with the Award conditions. 5) Blogger must display the Award at any location at the Blog.
Ab Van doesn’t name specific people to whom she gives awards. She just puts them out there for anyone to take up and then pass on. I like that, and I think I’ll do the same here. To be honest, I didn’t think that this award really applied to me. But Ab Van’s blog ended with a picture of what I thought was a ladybird (lady bug to you Americans) and I have a rather secret thing about ladybirds (she then told me it wasn’t actually a ladybird, just a beetle that looked like one, but it was too late. I was already hooked). So here I am, thinking about my blog.
Like many writers, this blog started out as a way to promote my work. But over the past year that has changed. Yes, I still promote my work as shamelessly and vigorously as I can. But that is now rarely the impetus for writing here. This blog gives me the only outlet I have to talk to like-minded people about my ideas and opinions about literature, the creative act, and living life as an “artist.” I spent over fifty years having all these ideas and not really having anyone to share them with. Now suddenly, I’m part of a community full of funny, opinionated, worried, persistent, spiritual, openminded and openhearted people.
Ab Van doesn’t name specific people to whom she gives awards. She just puts them out there for anyone to take up and then pass on. I like that, and I think I’ll do the same here. To be honest, I didn’t think that this award really applied to me. But Ab Van’s blog ended with a picture of what I thought was a ladybird (lady bug to you Americans) and I have a rather secret thing about ladybirds (she then told me it wasn’t actually a ladybird, just a beetle that looked like one, but it was too late. I was already hooked). So here I am, thinking about my blog.
Like many writers, this blog started out as a way to promote my work. But over the past year that has changed. Yes, I still promote my work as shamelessly and vigorously as I can. But that is now rarely the impetus for writing here. This blog gives me the only outlet I have to talk to like-minded people about my ideas and opinions about literature, the creative act, and living life as an “artist.” I spent over fifty years having all these ideas and not really having anyone to share them with. Now suddenly, I’m part of a community full of funny, opinionated, worried, persistent, spiritual, openminded and openhearted people.
I don’t know how much my blog has really helped with book sales. Maybe a little, but not enough to make one of the big houses stand up and take notice. And my list of blog followers has not grown by anything close to leaps and bounds. In that way my blogging life mimics my “real” life. It is small but intense. The connections may not be many, but they are strong. And as I start having more and more opportunities to meet my blogging friends out in the real world I realize that those friendships are as real as any I have made in any other sphere of my life.
So when I look back up to the criteria for this award I think, yes, that is what I try to do here, just like that is what the other blogs I read try to do over there. Yea, I’ll take the award, and I’ll pass it along to all of you. And as further inspiration, here is the “ladybird wannabe” from Ab Van’s blog:
And here’s one I found on google:
And here’s the truth about me and ladybirds. I have a ladybird that shows up every now and then in my bathroom. I never know when she’ll be there, but it has nothing to do with windows being open or closed or cracks in the wall. She just appears, and so I am convinced that she comes when I need her. She watches over me and listens to me and whenever I see her, I say hi. I wouldn’t say out loud that I believe in reincarnation, but if I did I would say that this ladybird knew me and cared about me in a former life, and she still does now.
So when I look back up to the criteria for this award I think, yes, that is what I try to do here, just like that is what the other blogs I read try to do over there. Yea, I’ll take the award, and I’ll pass it along to all of you. And as further inspiration, here is the “ladybird wannabe” from Ab Van’s blog:
And here’s one I found on google:
And here’s the truth about me and ladybirds. I have a ladybird that shows up every now and then in my bathroom. I never know when she’ll be there, but it has nothing to do with windows being open or closed or cracks in the wall. She just appears, and so I am convinced that she comes when I need her. She watches over me and listens to me and whenever I see her, I say hi. I wouldn’t say out loud that I believe in reincarnation, but if I did I would say that this ladybird knew me and cared about me in a former life, and she still does now.
Go ahead. Call me crazy. But at least I’m honest about it. Noblesse oblige.
Lovely post, Sue! And isn’t this just is, our blogging buddies become every bit as special as real life friends, whether we’ve met or not.
That said, here’s to meeting you later this month! 😉
And I just totally love your ladybird story – and I don’t think you’re remotely crazy.
In terms of animal totemism the ladybug is tied to “the energies of renewal and regeneration. Those with this totem are usually family oriented with strong morals and social values… Ladybug teaches us how to release our worry and enjoy our life to the fullest. When it appears in our life it is telling us to “let go and let God.” Its small size denotes a delicate and loving nature. It emanates the energy of harmlessness and can show us how to stop harming ourselves. A messenger of promise, the ladybug reconnects us with the joy of living. Fear does not live within joy. The need to release our fears and return to love is one of the messages it carries.
Ladybug teaches us how to restore our faith and trust in great spirit. It initiates change where it is needed the most. When ladybug appears it is asking us to get out of our own way and allow great spirit to enter.”
Ab Van: Now you’re scaring me! This lesson of the ladybird is exactly the one I struggle with the most and am spending my life trying to learn! Yikes!
Beautiful post, Sue, and I feel honoured and privileged to be part of your blog community of like-minded folk. Looking forward to meeting your ladybird some day.
Wonderful post which is enhanced with Ab Van’s comment.
lx
Tania and Liz: Thanks!
Oh what a lovely post Sue.
What a beautiful post and I whole heartedly agree with what you say about friendships made online. A few years ago I would never have believed it but now I KNOW it to be true. And it’s a complete privilege:-)
Sue, what a lovely post. I really enjoyed the information about the ladybug. I have a similar relationship with praying mantis. I wrote a short story about it and the praying mantis, a bit like your ladybug, keeps appearing for this woman with a message she can’t quite get.
No one knows even half the answers, so I certianly don’t think you’re crazy.
JJ, Lane and Lauri: Thanks to you all. It’s hard to find “like minded” people, maybe that’s why we need the internet…to take us places our feet can normally get to 🙂 xo