Ahhh.... memories. How sweet the feeling when our mind wanders back in time to those places and events that placed a happy memory in our soul, our heart or in our head. Memories of laughter, of love, of aha's that changed our lives forever.  

Like the memories evoked when someone or something comes into your life that was totally unexpected, totally foreign and totally captivating. Something like Active Rain. 

Like many I was introduced to Active Rain by a colleague and very good friend. Someone who thought I should try Active Rain, would enjoy Active Rain, could learn from Active Rain. So I peaked in and my first thought was... you gotta be kidding. Me and Active Rain? Oh my!!

It was a foreign entity to me this thing called blogging. I remember logging on and just as quickly logging off, not once but dozen of times. Better left alone I would tell myself as I tried to make sense of what this place called Active Rain and blogging was all about. Yet it would not let me be. I remember it calling my name.... Martha..... come check me out.....come learn and grow and share.... Yes the memories are still fresh and the calling still goes on. 

I remember the stress of feeling so behind when it came to blogging and knowing all that others knew about social media that I did not. I remember the feeling of being lost in a world where others knew so much and I knew so little. Yet one day I logged on and realized the stress had disappeared and that too became nothing more than a memory as something else took its place. 

Today as I look back at memories brought about by Active Rain I realize that these memories were the beginning of a love story. A love story on a journey without end. A journey full of the willingness of others to share their skills and knowledge. A journey that fills my computer screen from all corners of this great nation and beyond as others share their memories of their hometown and of their journeys lived. Of friendships forged, of lessons learned, of moments in time when I knew I was in love with Active Rain and all within.

Everyday a new memory is made as my fingers wander the keyboard and I visit other bloggers. Each one unique, each one jogging a memory loose of a a life lived through words and pictures. And so it goes that each day will bring something new that will become my favorite memory of all.  

Thanks for the memories Active Rain. Memories that I love on a journey without end.