I wanted to have this post up hours ago. Yes, I do have a gift for
procrastination. But such was not the case
in the present delay. I was so amazed by today's guest blogger's accomplishments and her fearless journey of making connections within the
blogosphere, that I was left wordless.
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| About Kir...Kirsten Piccini |
In today's post, she so eloquently speaks to the power of the
relationships that can be made if we are willing to write with a truthful and
authentic voice that I have nothing to add:
“Her blog changed my own voice and her friendship changed my
life.”
The words belong to Kirsten Piccini of The Kir Corner.
The first time I came across
Kirsten’s writing could
have been at Just Be Enough where she is a contributing editor. Or, it could have been through one of the weekly
link ups in which I regularly participate.
Regardless, I am grateful to have found her and feel as if she has been with me since the beginning of Sperk*. She inspires me to do it better—every day.
I am positive she will inspire you, too! Be sure to visit her at The Kir Corner. Her list of successful endeavors is extensive and is born from humility.
Please welcome Kirsten Piccini as today’s guest blogger for
Wednesday’s Woman.
Wednesday's Woman: Melissa Ford
by Kirsten Piccini
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| Melissa Ford |
“I will love the light
for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the
stars.” –Og Mandino
In the middle of 2005 I started a blog to write about, vent
and talk about my struggle with infertility. I was searching for something or
someone that would help me make sense of what I was going through. I needed a community that was separate from
my infertility boards and a village that would guide me and help me grow
through the nightmare of not being able to have a child.
It was then that I met the amazing Melissa Ford of Stirrups
Queens.
She had started a blog called Stirrup Queens and Sperm
Palace Jesters which has been transformed to be simply “Stirrup Queens.” The
irony being that every one of us who has struggled against this invisible
disease has become a true queen of those stirrups, willing to risk our dignity
for the promise of a child in our arms. Her blog brought light into my life and
a comfortable place to ask questions and get answers to things that seemed too
private to ask anywhere else. It was also a haven for my heart, because the
women who came to that space knew exactly how I felt and were willing to share
their journey, successes and failures,
with me.
Over the course of her first year in the blogosphere she transformed
the life and education of infertiles, including mine. She introduced a blog roll that lists every
kind of infertility blog in our universe; from adoption to in-vitro, from
living childfree to information about surrogates.
52 Categories.
3150 Blogs.
She took the veil off our disease and gave it a voice.
As an infertility survivor and mother of twins born of
fertility treatments, she offered hope and friendship to me, and in between her
posts about infertility I sat in awe of her writing about her family, her
faith, her politics and of course her baking.
A writer by education she wrote a book about infertility
called Navigating the Land of IF that spoke to those of us exploring this new and very inhospitable world in
clear and relatable language. Plus it
was written with our family and friends who didn’t understand in mind. There
would be times that I would take it to my mom’s or give it to my best friend
and say, “Please read this chapter. You
won’t understand my hurt and frustration until you do.”
If you are infertile or you know someone who is struggling
with infertility, her blog is full of so much useful and real life knowledge
that you will walk away with the courage to keep trying and the realization
that you are not alone.
Her blog changed my own voice and her friendship changed my
life.
Today she is an editor with BlogHer, she has written another book called Life from Scratch
and she has been invited to the White House to talk about Health Care.
One of my “She-roes” is Melissa Ford.
So I name her my Wednesday Woman, for giving a VOICE to
infertility.
Oh Kim, you made me cry!!! thank you for your lovely lovely words (I adore you!) and for letting me talk about Melissa (Mel) here in your space. xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteI am holding back tears myself for I am still amazing by your journey. You are truly an inspiration and I thank you.
DeleteThank you, Kir, for posting this here, and telling the world about one of the people I most respect and admire. :)
ReplyDeletethank you for coming over to read and for leaving such love for Melissa. She deserves all of it.
DeleteIt is so awesome and empowering when you find people who understand your feelings and what you're going through but then to have a book you can also hand people and say "read this part so you can try to understand too" - even more awesome! Great post, Melissa and Kirsten both sound wonderful, I have some new blogs to check out!
ReplyDeleteHI Anna, thank so much for reading and commenting. This is exactly what Melissa was and is to me. She gave me hope and the strength to keep trying and keep writing. She was Muse and cheerleader at a time I desperatly needed both.
DeleteI do hope I see you around the blogworld soon. So nice to meet you.
So excited to see both Kir and Mel in the same space. Double the awesome.
ReplyDeleteMel is a fantastic choice to highlight on Wednesday Woman. She's a visionary and a terrific writer, but I also love that she is such a community builder. That community, Kir being a part of it, has had a profound effect on my life.
Oh Lori, thank you for coming over. You know that when I think of Mel, I also think of you..that both of you made my journey through infertility easier, sweeter, less alone. Getting to hug you has always been one of my favorite memories and I can't wait to see you in August this year. xoxo
DeleteI'm so glad you found Melissa when you did, Kir. Just like so many found you when they did. xo
ReplyDeleteStunning words, incredibly inspiring, and ohmygoodness a meant to be connection!
ReplyDelete(I love when things work out like that.)
Here here!!! Love both of these fabulous women! They inspire me to keep fighting and not let infertility win.
ReplyDeleteMel is one of my “she-roes” too! What a beautiful tribute to a woman and friend who has done so much for those in the adoption, loss and infertility community (including me). I will never forget the day that I first landed on her blog, afters someone had found mine and shared the news of a failed IVF cycle on the Lost and Found Connections Abound. My world and perspective has not been the same since.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this Kir and to you Kim for hosting her as your guest blogger this week!
Melissa to you is my Katherine Stone to me...women who are reaching out to help others...amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found her.
Xoxo