The miracle of blogging

Few days after my first post on the newly created blog Lariza. Website last week, I received this inspiring comment from my blog mentor, Pastor Jonan Castillon. “So, this is the mother-of-all blogs by Edwin Lariza. You have come a long way since meeting and joining you in one of your morning walks prior to February 18. I commend you for achieving a PR 1 (Google Page Rank) on your Padayon: Our Life Journey in such a short period. Keep on blogging…”

Indeed, it does not seem so long, when he encouraged me to blog as part of my healing process. His successful journey in on line niche was contagious that despite my skepticism, I politely entertained the idea. However, I found it difficult to start. Despite his hectic schedule, Pastor Jonan took time to tutor me hands on blogging. Thereafter, I have experienced the gradual process of growth comparable to my healing process.

My first blog PADAYON: Our Life Journey serves as journal of my experiences to inspire readers to continue the commitment in service, no matter what. PADAYON is an Ilonggo term which means continue. In deeper sense, it connotes moving/going on (or never give up) despite adversaries or adversities. After a month or so, I realized his advice was making sense. My interest in writing was revived. Rather than fretting on my limited mobility, I made use of my time in blogging. I poured out my thoughts and emotion in the blog and found relief.

With such inspiration, I opened another blog to ventilate my suppressed commitment to the service of the people towards development. My health condition has become oppressive considering that I was at the peak of service and leadership when the devastating illness forced me to rest. It was difficult for me to adjust, having been very active for the past decade. The overflowing energy for serve has now found expression thru Networking-for-holistic-development. This blog focuses on networking for social development.

With two blogs to maintain, my mind has been busy. Slowly, my focus has been divided now. Instead of spending most of my time watching my seemingly deteriorating condition, I am now obliged to give time to my blogs. My vulnerability to depression caused by the delay in healing process starts to diminish. There is a paradigm shift in my mind and heart. The delay of complete healing is now taken as an opportunity to evaluate my life and faith. I have more time for self and family. More time to read the bible, pray, meditate, reflect, put faith into action in almost all aspects of life. All the beautiful things which had deprived to him due to very hectic schedule prior to ailment.

With such realization, I created another blog to focus on these experiences. Faith Journey serves as forum for life and faith experiences of people who have survived the test of times and circumstances. This is a venue for us to learn from one another and share so that others will also find inspiration in their faith journey.

Learning and enjoying the blogging world, I have decided to maximize the beauty of web linkages and networking. Hence, another blog to provide an opportunity for others to share their resources. Dubbed Resource Sharing for Development, this blog is an attempt to widen my services to humanity through linkages and networking of developmental and service-oriented blogs and bloggers. It covers areas represented by the acronym SERVES: Social work, Education, Resource sharing, Volunteerism, and Spirituality.

However, the inspiration does not end there. Overwhelmed by the progress in ranking of blogs in both Alexa and Technorati, I decided to provide a convergence of all my blogs. This is the reason I created this latest blog Lariza. Website which has received inspiring comment from my blog mentor. Much to my amazement, in a matter of less than a month, my Alexa rank has a dramatic improvement. From about 30, 000, 000, it ranks over 2,000,000 as of this writing. It has even overtaken my older blogs.

Alexa is a quick and easy way to estimate how popular your site is compared to other sites. Ratings start from 1 to 20,000,000 and even beyond. The lower the number, the better your Alexa rating is. Technorati, on the other hand, is a directory and ranking-tool for blogs. Ranking on Technorati is advantageous to blog in terms of big boost in traffic and general credibility In this ranking system, the higher the number, on a scale of 1-1000, the better. Technorati also provides a ranking of sites by authority, overall and within categories. In this system, #1 is the highest.

The development in blogging and subsequent inspiration to me has been reflective in my health condition. While I have not mastered yet all the blogging technology, I feel contented to see the progress. Likewise, although I have not fully recovered as far as my health condition is concerned, I appreciate any progress big or small. Indeed, the miracle of blogging.