(I am) the Unknown Reader
weblogpomoAlthough this references the WeblogPoMo authors and posts, I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time now. I am subscribed to a lot of bloggers that I am 1000% sure do not know I exist. This is dedicated to you, and for you.
As I sit here, scrolling through some of the entries for the first few days of WeblogPoMo, I can’t help but wonder about the people behind these blogs. Do they ever think about the people reading their posts, like me, who quietly consume their thoughts and reflections without ever revealing themselves? Well, ok, now I’ve revealed myself… but you know what I mean.
It’s a strange feeling, being a silent observer of someone else’s life. I subscribe to their adventures, their struggles, their wins, and at times have that tug of a connection. Yet, to them, I may just be a faceless figure, an addition to the count of their site analytics (or flag if they’re using tinylitics).
I wonder if some of them think about the impact they have on their readers, and how their words can resonate so deeply with someone who they will probably never meet (or know about). Do they ever imagine the lives of their readers, their silent subscribers?
As someone who has stopped revealing intricate details of my life online, I can only imagine how exciting (yet sometimes scary) it is to share your thoughts with the world, knowing there are those like me who are reading them. To know that your words have the power to inspire, comfort, challenge, without ever knowing who they are touching.
As I continue to read, I am just grateful for you all to allow me this glimpse into your world, however fleeting and anonymous it may be. It’s a reminder of how tiny we are compared to the ever expanding universe and vastness of human experience, yet here we are able to forge these connections through stories behind a computer (phone?) screen.
So, to the person reading this right now, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for sharing a piece of yourself with the world (and allowing me to share a piece of mine), even if you never know who is on the other side, reading and appreciating your words.
Side Note(s):
- This post is Day 5 of the WeblogPoMo2024 challenge.
- Shoutout to the RSS and Atom feeds where I can subscribe to a lot of different blogs — I’m subscribed to various “recent” and “trending” feeds of blog sites, and at times how I find some of my favorite bloggers.
- But really though…I’ve been thinking about reaching out to those bloggers I admire (as some of you have done with me, although I’m not saying that you actually admire me, but you know what I mean) and letting them know how much I appreciate their words.
- Ok, maybe one day I will. I need to get past my social anxiety first… although some of you don’t have any kind of Contact form / info on your page, so maybe that means you don’t want to be contacted. And that’s OK too. I will continue to be your unknown reader.
- Do you often reach out to blogs that you admire? Or would you rather stay as a silent observer?
