Do you like Nursery Rhymes? Are you familiar with the one below? It was very popular when I was a child.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?

With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

The most common MODERN version of this popular English nursery rhyme is by Mother Goose: 

The oldest known version, first published in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book (1744) had the following lyrics:

Mistress Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?

With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.

In the race to deciding on a good title for my post today, the little jingle crept up on me, so I did a little research on what I know to be just an innocent little nursery rhyme from my childhood. Well, historians tell me that the lyrics come with bloodshed and greed and power and dark imaginings.

I’m happy to know all that but for this time I’ve decided to forgo all the historians tell me, and choose instead to stick to the lyricism and whimsy of the rhyme.

Why? Because I wrote my own words to blend with that rhyme.

Check it out.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With scant repose and barrels o’ coffee

And plenty of ‘what can I do for yous.’

I’m taking a networking class at my Writer’s Community. AGAIN. *wink* We’re on our fifth week of an eight-week course. If you’ve been with me since June you’ll probably remember me telling you about how elated and genuine I felt then.

Elated! How can I not feel that way when in the company of writers who are amazing and whose enthusiasm for the ‘love of the written word’ is contagious? It’s just not possible, I tell you.

But back in June, when I went down this same road, my ‘what can I do for yous’ probably lacked one of the most vital ingredients to bring about any lasting result. *sigh*

It is only in hindsight that I can attest to this.

Before I tell you what that ingredient is, I wish to allow you into my thoughts.
See, back then I embraced ‘the cause’ wholeheartedly for the group, ran my own campaign, running myself ragged, and went through the course alone.

It didn’t work.

One reason it didn’t work is that I failed to form the proper connections with the individuals I was rooting for. Thinking I was ‘killing two birds with one stone’ I determined how much time I was willing to spend on promoting everyone — and I do mean, everyone — with my Twitter followers while I worked even harder on polishing my own story that I was sure was going to bring me the traffic I craved.

It didn’t happen.

I learned my lesson.

And now that I know better, you can quote me as saying that my research has led me to the realization that it will work on Social Media and in every other area of life. 100% tested, by me. Here goes…

That Vital Ingredient is unconditional GENEROSITY! *wink*
And I say unconditional because it needs to unfold without expectation. Don’t cringe at me, dear friends. Go the extra mile without expectation and I promise you, you will see it returned to you ten-fold.

In my own way, I was being generous the first time I went through the course, but… *sigh*

This time, I’ve gone about it differently.
This time I’ve made connections and what’s more, I have buddies!

This time I’m giving more of my time by way of interviews and I’m reading more and reviewing more of everyone’s work. It has become so, that I’ve been running behind in my own pursuit and this assignment — which I needed to get published here — is already late. Sheesh.

Late, but still elated.

In this post, I’ll link you to A FEW of my new buddies and their individual websites. There are more, but to these FEW I offer this space today. Click on their names to view their websites and to get a glimpse of the kind of stories they write.

Valda Dracopoulos, Kasey Anderson, Alejandra Cue, Sue Weems,

B. O’ree Williams,  Krissy Baccaro, Diane Krause, Evelyn Puerto.

Some of us are just getting our websites started. Some are seasoned bloggers. But all of us are just now opening up to vulnerability and generosity in our own gardens.

Whether they be Silver Bells or Cockle Shells we’re all trying to get our ducks in a row and add value to our world with storytelling.

Won’t you open up and give us a chance?

THANKS FOR READING.

Update:

Hello, dear reader/subscriber/follower.

If you were with me here last year, I’m sure that this post today sounded like Deja Vu. Please know that your instincts are correct.
I had a major falling out with my social platform late last year, that I’ve been forced to do things a little differently this year. I will not bore you with details. But in the course of this year, I wish to work on reposting some of the blog posts that I hope to remain on my website — mostly as journal entries — as proof that I have lived through this. #thishappenedtome

As the year progresses, I will do the same with dozen-or-so other posts.  And of course, there will be new ones in the mix. It is my hope that you stick around as I continue to navigate this ship that’s proving to be bigger than anything I’ve done before. Knowing that you’re on the other side of this is a comfort that I will never take for granted. And do feel free to forward/copy-paste the link to this post to someone who you feel could benefit from it. *wink*

AGAIN, THANKS FOR READING.
I Wish You Miracles, Selma.

Originally: Selma Writes | January 12, 2019