by Alicia Dowell

Many years ago, (7 long years) I started blogging. At first, it was a way to share my story as well as a way for distant family to see how our little family was growing. I shared every post on my personal Facebook before I had a page for my blog. This was at the starting point before I started using social media to help people find my piece of the internet. I was just hoping someone — family or friends — would read any of my posts. I shared a couple of pictures as my first post (by the way those pictures are still cute!). I didn’t want to just share pictures. This was the perfect place for me to share my writing. I had always dreamed of becoming a writer. Even as a kid, I could be found with at least one pen and a notebook.

So here was my new blog. The post went live and I was waiting to see if anyone read my rambling. A couple of days passed and I found out someone had read my post and it was not family. My new friend stopped by where I was working at the time to give me the encouragement to keep blogging. I don’t remember what she said but it was along the lines of: Don’t give up yet. I am still reading.

Many years later, I am glad I never gave up blogging. I learned there are many people to connect with and have met two of my best friends from blogging. Also from the one tiny in person comment, I have learned to remember to not give up; someone is still reading.

Born and raised in Arkansas, Alicia Dowell loves her home state. She grew up on her family farm in Southwest Arkansas. She was taught a deep love of caring for animals, growing a garden, and the slower way of life. Alicia married her college sweetheart and welcomed her daughter a year later. She can still be found in Southwest Arkansas on their one acre farm or on Instagram which fuels her photography habit.