Money, I think I'll buy me a football team...

What profit a man to gain the world...

Invariably during conversation with my friends, once I’ve broached the subject of my new found interest in blogging one question always arises, “What kind of money are you making off of this?” I usually try to respond with an explanation of the non-financial profits of my latest hobby; new friends, a consistent readership, different perspectives of current events from all around the world and best of all I’m just plain having fun.

“Yes, but are you making any money from it?”

"Well, I’m pretty new to blogging and with less than ninety days under my belt I don’t even qualify for most of the money making opportunities yet.”

“Oh, so why are you doing this again?”

It’s frustrating trying to get people to understand why I would spend hours on the computer doing something that isn’t making buckets of money for me. How does one convey the joy of waking up to a new photo by the wizened wizard or that uproarious comment from Satan? How do I express the bond I now feel to our troops in Iraq because of my online friendship with a soldier named greenery in Iraq? How do I convey these benefits to people whose only concern is the monetary value of a thing?

Sadly, I can not adequately express the joy of blogging to someone who has not experienced it for themselves. This is something that goes far beyond the satisfaction gained by lining a pocket with a few pieces of silver. Blogging brings a reward that enriches the heart and soul of the individual who participates in the experience. In my opinion this is the greatest reward a person can ever hope to take from any endeavor in which they are a part of. I try my hardest to express this belief in everything I do.

That is why I was so surprised to find this question on my comment board the other night.

Yes, it is a good question and one I will try to answer to the best of my abilities.

Yes, I am effective at bringing people together; both in the blogosphere and in the real world. To me, this is one of the most important skills any person can possess as they journey through life. Why? Because it requires the acquisition of certain abilities before the skill of bringing people together can be learned.

One of the first abilities to be learned is selflessness. Learning to look beyond our own individual wants and needs is perhaps the most important ability in learning how to bring people together. Service to others is one of the chief cornerstones to any successful philosophy or religion I’ve ever studied.

Mahatma Gandhi is a shining example of this ability.

Learning to love, tolerate and accept those around you just as they are, is another cluster of abilities that I consider important to learn in the building of the skill that brings people together. I just don’t believe that you can develop any of these abilities without learning all three of them together. Combined, these three abilities are the foundation of drawing people together.

King David in the Old Testament of the Bible is a perfect example of the motivational power of love. How many individuals rallied to David’s side for no other reason than the love he had for his people?

The last ability I will mention in this post is learning to expect no reward from the task you are performing other than the joy of participating in the task you are performing. Truly I say to you, if all you ever work for is the financial rewards you can gain, you will never know the true joy of being a part of something greater than yourself.

Look at the smile upon the face of any volunteer who never earns so much as a penny from their labors and you will know what I’m talking about. The only reward they carry away from their work is the satisfaction of having participated in something meaningful.

Yes, Meander, I do believe a career can be made from bringing people together. It is a career I have pursued as a cashier in a variety of shops throughout my entire adult life. From the mayor of my city to the neighbor across the street I am not remembered as the man who gave them the best price, the best deal or even the most products for their dollar. I am known as the man who makes everyone he meets feel as if they are a part of something. Something good and wonderful...

I am so lucky to be blessed with the ability to make people feel connected. Truly, I am so in love with the miracle of life and the people who participate in the experience with me. So many of us feel alone and isolated these days. We don’t feel a part of anything greater than ourselves. We feel adrift and forgotten.

I believe this sadness can be overcome, but the task can not be accomplished by sitting around waiting for a miracle. Life is the greatest event we have to participate in and if we will just reach out to one another in love there is no end to the wonders we can perform when we work together.

And in answer to those who will say, “Good luck making any money with that belief.” I tell you in all honesty, I work for an employer who has never failed to provide sustenance for every need I’ve ever had, and also who offers the most amazing retirement plan I could ever hope for.

Am I getting rich from blogging? I invite you to take a look at the treasury of links on the right side of this page and judge for yourself. I believe I have turned a greater profit than I ever imagined possible.

So, Meander, does this answer your question?





I love my career and I just can't imagine being any happier doing anything else.