Published. Whoaaaaaaa...

The word 'published' is a bit incredible when you're embracing it for the first time.

Sure, lots of things are published each and every day. I hit a pretty orange button that says 'Publish' at the end of typing a blog post. You'd think the word would be desensitized to me, much as it is to many I know.

Have you ever sat down and discussed a design concept? A color scheme? The font family to be used? Or do you just trust that your "typical settings" will do the job?

Once you've made those minor decisions which seemed intense, there's just a little task looming on the horizon: content.

How does one KNOW what to write about next? How do you know your writings will be pertinent? Is anyone actually going to read what you have to write? Questionable, at best.

I realize this seems incredible cynical, but the reality is the written word is valued only as much as each person chooses to value it. While some will never read anything more complex than a restaurant menu in their everyday life, others choose to immerse themselves in Tolstoy or Steinbeck. Others will never send a written letter through the mail when a Facebook message or an email suffices given the demand of instant gratification when it comes to information transfer.

When is the last time you valued what you wrote?
When is the last time you seriously contemplated what it means to be 'published'?

I admit, I was right there with what I suspect is the majority opinion: Almost never, although there was that one time...

One time? You mean to tell me you learned how to write in order to only ever write one meaningful thing?

However, stepping back and taking a moment to reflect and consider what is important regarding the written word has shown me the potential of the written word. While I don't fool myself into thinking my personal blog is heavily trafficked by tons of interested readers, I do believe in the importance of writing something meaningful and thought-provoking.

It IS a big deal to be published in any form, especially when experienced for the first time. Embrace it.