It’s the last day of the year. Like many of you, I am reflecting on the past year, and wondering what the new one will bring. During this reflection, I opened an e-mail from WordPress (who hosts this blog) which gave me my stats from the last twelve months. Amongst the surprising information that 8 people in Nicaragua found the time to visit my blog this year, I ran across this list of my most popular posts of the year:
Notice anything? Don’t worry if you don’t. I didn’t, either, until I read this observation from WordPress:
My writing has staying power! Wow, is that a compliment – or is that just a nice way to say, “Hey, your most popular post was written three years ago! What happened?!!!”
Self-doubt ensued.
Temptations to investigate further flooded my brain.
So did the urge to quit.
I thought about the time I would save not blogging, the periodic twinges of guilt I could avoid by telling my family, “Just a minute while I finish up this post,” the frequent escalations of panic when I realize I have no idea what I’m going to write.
And I realized that I can’t give it up. I love blogging, and I love thinking that someone in Nicaragua might be interested in something I have to say. The connections I’ve made and the education I’ve gained from fellow bloggers and social networkers have energized me and inspired me. There is nothing in the statistics that measures the growth I’ve experienced as an educator since I first started blogging.
Statistics can be informative, but they don’t give the whole picture. According to Ron De Legge II, “99 percent of all statistics only tell 49 percent of the story.”
Something that might need to be emphasized to the people in charge of education legislation in 2015…
don’t stop! I read your blog every day. it’s REAL and a quick inspiration
Thanks, Lucie! I definitely plan to keep going!
Thanks for your staying power! And this great amusing post. Statistics are valuable but behind them are real people too. Many forget this.
Thanks! I have to admit that the Vin Scully quote really resonated with me!
I honestly do not know what I would do without your helpful information. I look forward to reading your blogs, for it has helped me tremendously in my classroom. Keep on blogging away and know that many teachers, and obviously students, are benefiting from your wisdom.
You are so sweet! Thanks for the encouragement, and thanks for reading!