Today, March 1^st, 2008, is a very special day.

Today this blog is a year old.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ONE STEP AT A TIME!

I can’t believe it’s been an entire year that I’ve been writing about what it is like to live with Cerebral Palsy. What started as a painful exercise has now become a release. What started as a way to let others know what it is like to live with a disability has become a way for me to cope.

It’s been an incredible, amazing, harrowing, wonderful year. There have been so many ups and downs in this year: my wedding anniversary, the death of my grandfather, two new jobs, new friends.

But this blog has remained a constant for me.

It’s also incredible to know that there are thousands of you out there who have visited this blog, who have read my words and taken inspiration from them. I’ve received so many emails, been touched by so many people, because of the words here.

To think that my words are offering others inspiration is amazing for me. By writing, by putting my words down, I’m relieving a bit of my pain. Knowing that I’ve given others hope or inspiration is an added extra bonus.

This blog has also spawned something else. Most of you know that my memoir based off this blog, also titled One Step at a Time, will be published by The Friday Project later this year.

Never in a million years did I think I would ever write a memoir. Never in a zillion years did I think I could actually do it, that I could pull it off. It’s been a year of searching, remembering forgotten things. Writing the memoir has been one of the most (perhaps THE most) difficult things I have ever had to do. But also one of the most rewarding.

It all came about because of this blog.

It’s not an easy task for me to write about myself. I don’t actually enjoy it every much. But with each blog post it’s getting easier. I’ve received so many emails asking if it is hard to put myself out there for others to read, to talk about a very personal disability. Many of them have told me they don’t think they could do it, that they don’t have my courage.

I don’t know if it has anything to do with courage. Everyone has this inside them, this courage and strength. They just need to find it, let it out. I do this every time I write a blog post. I write them fast, quickly, publish the posts without editing or looking back, knowing that each time I publish a post it requires another bit of courage, another bit of strength to share something with others that is so personal for me.

Though out this year, writing this blog has taught me a lot about myself, about the courage that all of us have inside ourselves. I still can’t believe that it’s been an entire year, that one year has passed since the original idea to start a blog about what it was like living with Cerebral Palsy.

Its just mind blowing, isn’t it?

There are so many people I’d like to thank for having the strength to continue writing One Step at a Time, so I’ll thank them quickly here if you don’t mind: My husband Robert who is the greatest gift. Sandy who gives me so much strength. Caroline who was the first to read the memoir and who has become such an amazing friend. Scott Pack and everyone at The Friday Project for believing in my words. My parents, Wonder Mum and Wonder Dad; thank you for loving me.

And you.

Yes you!

Thank you for reading my words, for letting me know how my words have touched you and thank you.

I couldn’t have done it without any of you!