Operation Glory

I had spent time at BlogHer, whenever I found myself in conversation with complete strangers, telling them ‘make sure you have lunch at the convention Friday, be there after noon.’

Why? They would invetiably ask.

I can’t tell, I’d answer.

I couldn’t tell, I shouldn’t have told, but I did tell.

But just a couple people. How could you not?

But mostly, I relished in my secret identity, the secret Facebook group, the quick practice Thursday afternoon in a sweaty hotel room. 

I was part of a group of my blogging sisters, some who I had heard, read but never met, who recognized me, befriended me, stood by me.

Minutes before the appointed time, we stood, and sat. No one could eat from the nerves, the excitement.

The hall echoed with conversation. A cameraman wandered aimlessly, with purpose.

Positions were taken, seats pulled close together, fears laid out in the open and calmed by choruses of confidence.

Shoes were kicked off in preparation (not me, I wore flats).

I sat shoulder to shoulder with a tight group of women and a couple other confident strangers.

I set up my iPad to record my moment.

And then it started.

Confident, cheery, passionate, Theresa of Rock on Mommies stepped out and instead of acting as if we were suprised, we erupted into loud cheers and clapping.

As did others, cheering and clapping.

Then, we stood up, leaped out, smiled, danced.

And others stood up, iPhones aloft, cameras snapping away.

Then other joined in, running from the tables, making their way through the crowd, dancing, smiling, mouthing the words so often heard in our homes, over and over watching a computer screen.

Then others joined in, tweeting, watching, cheering, filming our moment.

Their moment.

What it had been meant to be.

Everyone was dancing, everyone was cheering.

The excitement was like a pulse, driving onward. The pulse lasted for days, keeping the adrenaline going, showing on my wrist with a purple band.

It took till this last weekend to understand the true meaning. I am on the edge of glory. Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

#operationglory #mobher11 #blogher11