FRIENDLY PERSUASION

First, there were comments like these…

In which case I can only say that we all lose including yourself.

Please do stay with us.

Well if this really is the end of the line, I can honestly say that I will miss you. I hope you will continue in some way. If so, please make sure that your loyal readers know about it.

Take a break, by all means, but please, don't abandon us completely!

Go weekly or monthly but don't stop…

(The more astute of you will notice that I’ve edited much of these comments to my own advantage, a bit like those review extracts which they put on the posters outside West End theatres… “Brilliant!” [Daily Mail] – extracted from the line “As least my drink in the interval was a rather brilliant Chablis…”)

But then there was also a lengthy critique which included this…

I'm quite fed up with people who think being a jerk is their privilege and entitlement. Sadly, I never in a million years thought you'd be perfect at it… I truly wish you nothing but the best, only with me not in it… 

So I said this…

I have a “media disease” and I need to go “cold turkey” and see whether I can kick the habit. I am very sure that I shall fail and crack far, far too soon and be back before you know it, shame-faced, tail between the legs and so forth, but I do have to try…

 I have been very touched by the merest notion that these ramblings will be missed, but I really, really DO have to try and escape this trap that I’ve made for myself... 

Which got a reply which included this…

You know what? Your arrogance sickens me. I leave here knowing you are indeed full of cr*p. 

After mulling it over I decided not to ‘publish’ that and ‘moderated’ it to comment hell… Nevertheless, this was, after all, just confirmation of what I had been thinking anyway, and, despite the rumours, I am a sensitive soul, so I was beginning to feel that I had probably made the right choice…

Meanwhile, somebody else had already observed that it…

Seems like blogging is a f***ing responsibility f***ing minefield. 

Which rather underscored the problem.

But then I read this…

I'll just keep checking then. I'm off on my travels tomorrow and I have virtually no idea where I'm going but I imaging it could be an interesting time. Yes, I'll just keep checking then. 

And these…

Yeah, I'll just keep checking too. It's my habit anyway to check this every day before I start work.
Maybe if we shout for long enough we'll get an encore?

Hope so. Just checked again - only silence..

I too keep checking in. Part of my daily routine seems to be missing without this. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a change of heart. I really do hope so! 

And in other places people said things like this…

I just think you should know that your work is appreciated by me and others, and that it does make a difference to us if you disappear.

In all honesty, my life is a little diminished without your daily notions.

So, after much thought, and soul-searching (not that I found that I had one…) I decided to write this…

You are all far too kind to a wretched sinner... :-)


Tell you what...

Give me July to think about a few things and collect my thoughts again, and I'll see... but I don't want to make any promises because I know what I'm like… 

It’s very easy to underestimate the small but significant part even a tiny puddle like mine plays in the lives of others. Even the humble “third spear carrier” can be the most vital role for someone watching the play, and if even the tiniest cog breaks, the watch will stop ticking.

I have genuinely been surprised and (you might be amazed to find…) a little bit humbled by such nice things being said about this inconsequential yet substantial Albatross which I had been carrying around recently…

Sometimes we all need remind ourselves of that when the big, bad world seems as if it is stomping on our face.

See you in August…

Probably…