To Those of You ...

To say that I'm overwhelmed by your response to last night's post seems so inadequate, and yet overwhelmed is the only word that even slightly approaches how deeply moved I am by the sheer volume of messages I am continuing to receive. I am truly humbled by the kind, supportive and encouraging words of so many, while at the same time deeply saddened by those whose words are filled with hate, judgment and rage. My hope and prayer is that perhaps the new year will bring with it more love and less hate.

To those of you who are sharing the post through email, Twitter and Facebook ... please know that both I and my co-author are appreciative of your desire and willingness to reach out to others with the hope of helping that one someone ... that one someone who desperately needs to know they don't have to sort through their feathers alone. That's been a consistent theme in a lot of the positive messages I've read today, by the way ... people need to know they aren't alone when the feathers are flying ... people need to know the ones who say they care about them really care enough to help them see through the feathers ... people need to know they are loved and valued and appreciated and treasured for who they are and not only for what they do.

To those of you who are asking if last night's post (or tonight's, for that matter) signals my return to daily blogging ... the short answer to that question is no, but the more accurate and detailed answer is that I'm making no promises whatsoever. No promises to continue writing an almost daily post ... no promises to write once in a while ... no promises I'll ever write again. And by the same token, no promises I won't write every day ... no promises I won't write once in a while ... no promises I won't ever write again. I'm making no promises because I take promises seriously ... when I make a promise, I do absolutely everything within my power to keep it. That's why I'm really, really, really careful about making promises ... I don't make promises I'm not sure I can keep.

To those of you who are upset with me for not offering any explanation as to my departure from writing over the last couple of months ... I hope you can accept my apology and know that I am truly, truly sorry for any concern I may have caused. But I would ask that you know this as well ... there are times when the hurt is too deep, too personal, too potentially harmful to others to reveal. My lack of explanation and my failure to provide updates over the last couple of months was due in large part to my commitment to be honest, open, real and transparent in my postings for this blog. Yes, I've had the wind knocked out of me in a big way and that's why I haven't been writing ... sorry, but that's the best I can offer as an explanation.

To those of you who continue to believe in me ... those of you who continue to love me ... those of you who continue to encourage me ... those of you who refuse to give up on me ... those of you who see me for who I really am and stick by me anyway ... there are no words to fully convey the depth of my gratitude. You make me a better person ... you keep me breathing ... you teach me what traveling the journey together really means.

To each and every one of you who are reading these words tonight ... may the new year bring abundant peace and happiness and wisdom and grace into your life ... may you be filled to overflowing with kindness toward one another ... may you remain ever faithful, ever loyal and ever true.