In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few

Perhaps I should take a break from blogging more often?

Last week I was offline preoccupied with completing four grant requests, including two government funding proposals. (Nothing like working through a 250-plus page RFP while trying to coordinate the needs of 5 nonprofits submitting 2 collective funding requests.) While I was away from this humble blog, its subscription stats nearly doubled!

Seems my recent post on the end of fundraising got picked up by several high profile sites, including Give and Take, Philanthropy 2173, Giving Matters and Selfish Giving. I even got a call from a reporter at the local San Francisco Business Times, because of all this attention.

So a big shout out to all of you who linked in, and for those of you who have recently subscribed, a big welcome to you! Thank you so much for your vote of support.

Like many others, I started this blog under the mistaken impression that it would be a good way for me to share what I knew, providing a marketing vehicle for my work as consultant. Soon I learned that in order to write a blog, one must read blogs. Today my feedreader contains subscriptions to nearly 100 other blogs, plus a couple of dozen podcasts and vlogs.

Soon I realized that knew nothing.

To be honest, I pretty much already knew that, for when I was thirteen I knew everything there was to know in the world. Every year since that I've taken a step closer to ignorance. I figure if I'm lucky, I'll reach a blissful state of peace with the world by the time I'm ready to die. But for now the best I can do know is to recognize life is all one big mystery.

So while other bloggers may promise you answers, I think what I can merely offer you are questions. Questions like, "how can we cultivate greater generosity and compassion in the world for ourselves and others?" Your comments and responses are always welcome.

Becoming a blogger is one of the best things that I've done for myself this past year. It feeds my curiosity about the world, and has connected me to a small, but growing world of thought leaders shaping the future of philanthropy. Like fundraising, it is also a practice that is hopefully teaching me to walk through the world greater grace and humility.

So thank you so much for your readership and support. Perhaps together we can create a world of new possibilities?