Last week Simple Marriage held a De-Lurk-A-Thon, targeting all the lurkers and encouraging them to come out of the shadows and leave a comment introducing themselves. What a response! 107 comments thus far.
Mary Ann (Simple Marriage contributor) and I have had many conversations the past few days about the all the lurkers coming out from the shadows. The following is part of our exchange.
Mary Ann: I have to admit that seeing people’s names and stories in the comments had quite an impact on me! It’s one thing to see those “numbers” in the RSS feed – it’s quite another to envision real people sitting at their computers around the world – Finland, China, Japan, Italy, Middle East, Netherlands, Australia, and Italy – reading my thoughts about relationships!
It’s great to see how responsive people are to solid information about marriage – I think that reflects how willing so many are to rise to the best in them. Give them a set of principles as a framework, and some tools and skills to work with and they will create something beautiful that will last!!
Here’s a quick tally of the relationship length and status mentioned in the comments – 32 identified themselves as single, engaged, in committed relationship, or married less than five years; 34 identified themselves as married ten years or longer.
I can’t help but be mindful of the ways that we are co-constructing every relationship that we are in. One of the ways that shows up in my life, is as I write about what works and doesn’t work in marriage and relationships, my attention is focused on how well [or not] I’m living what I write about.
I’m more excited than ever to be contributing to Simple Marriage! Thanks for the opportunity to stretch myself and grow more in my relationships.
Corey: I will add to your excitement about seeing the numbers of comments and subscribers growing by simply stating how honoring and humbling it is. To know that people are out there who are willing to take time out of their days to read what we write, but more importantly, add to the discussions by sharing their experiences and ideas is truly awesome. Yet another confirmation of how GREAT Simple Marriage readers are.
The pressure is on for us to deliver. To not only live from the best in us, which I fail at as well sometimes, but to write from the best in us. A daunting task. But I say, let’s go!
To all Simple Marriage readers let me say this: You rock! Thanks for the response thus far and I eagerly look forward to what’s to come.