Bloggers Recognition Award

I recently received a nomination for this award by Sudhir Chauhan, a great travel writer I encountered here on WordPress. His writing and photographs bring various places in India into awareness in a new and beautiful way. His site, wildtravellersblog, is definitely worth checking out.

Buddhist teachings remind me that praise and blame are things which shift on a regular basis. The award comes today, and tomorrow someone writes a scathing comment about a post. So while remembering its transient and impersonal nature, I’ll still accept the praise of the nomination with gratitude. I’m happy that this blog is providing enjoyment to others, at least for now. 

With freedom and awards comes responsibility, and this one comes with rules involved:

First, thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their blog. Happily done.

Next, include a few lines on how your own blog started…

I had been working way too many long hours in an emergency room, and had been planning a trip to India as a light at the end of a long tunnel. The trip morphed into something much larger, like a new life vector. I left my job, and started visiting Buddhist monasteries and other places on the way to India. Since I’m traveling solo, the blog was a way to share my experiences with family and friends. Much to my surprise, people I didn’t know have appreciated the journey as well.  

Metta is a Buddhist word which loosely translates as loving friendliness, or goodwill. My goal is to spread that as I go along this journey. A tsunami of metta, spreading along the world.

Next rule: offer two pieces of advice to other bloggers. I’ll offer two things I’ve learned.

Initially, I thought I’d keep this as a light and happy blog sharing travel pictures. But when I started sharing the emotions I experienced as I traveled, I found that people were still reading, and actually more interested. And I was free to express what arose instead of painting a flat yet happy picture. So I’m not as afraid now to be upfront like I was when I started.

The more blogs I read, the wider my perspective and the more I learn. It’s been a very cooperative learning process, and I’m very grateful to the other blogs out there that I’ve learned from. And why I like the idea of this award, as it’s a way of sharing great blogs with others. No blog is an island.

The next rule is to pay it forward by nominating a few blogs that inspire you. There are many great ones out there, but here are a few blogs that come to mind, and in turn I nominate for this award:

• https://brickthomasblog.wordpress.com
• https://neetolemitra.wordpress.com 
• https://themagicblackbook.com

And finally, write a post to accept your nomination, with the above rules included. Should you choose to accept it, that is.

Be well, everyone!