(Written for a high school assignment- 2015)

I’m from humid summers,

cookouts in the bug spray-haze.

I follow my sister,

trying to catch more fireflies.

I am from giggles at the table

trying to be hushed

as Mom gives us “The Look.”

I’m from swing sets

creaking as we sing.

From road trips without Dad,

singing “Nobody’s Perfect” and “We’re all in this together.”

I am from watching football after church-

eating chili.

I’m from raking leaves and baking apple pies

“It’s Hannah’s turn”s-

always waiting for mine.

From still watching for Dad to come home

so I can carve a cat in my pumpkin.

From awaiting the Day I can be

who I’m not.

I’m from snow and sleet and slush, 

Cold freezing through trees, 

killing flowers and grass,

trapping us in our house.

From tears with my sister,

as we try to ignore the shouts.

From The Family Meeting

to let me know We Aren’t anymore.

From two houses, one home;

back and forth.

The Cold traps us.

From sadness; cover-up-smiles.

From “God has a Plan,”

and “I hope so.”

Hope returns-

flowers peek through the ground.

I’m from “He is risen”

and “He is risen indeed,”

reminding me even death isn’t the end.

The sun rises,

dark skies change to light.

Bleeding Hearts begin to bloom.

I am from Seasons-

nurturing life.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.