Thank you for dropping into my blog, I appreciate you and hope to see you again soon.
Please say hi the next time you drop by, it’s like traveling with each visitor.
Melinda
Sending A Special Thank You To Laos, Dominica, Ecuador, And Guyana
Category: Blogging
Awards-A Blast From The Past
There was a time when giving awards to other bloggers was common place and were fun to participate in. Many bloggers may not have seen the old awards so I thought it would be fun to share. This post is not about me, it’s about blogging history.
Have you noticed that some older post no longer include the image? WordPress why?
Blogger Recognition Award
The Sunshine Blogger Award
Dragon Loyalty Award
Once a Victim Now a Survivor Award
Brave Heart Award
Most Influential Blogger Award
The Creative Blogger Award
No Strings Attached Award
Treasure Trove Award
Word Press Family Award
The Disability Award
It’s a shame the images are not available anymore, some were very creative.
The awards date from 2015 to 2020, here’s to the good old days.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
I don’t have a favorite month because each month has something wonderful to offer. New Years day is a great time to reflect on the challenges and accomplishments and turn my focus to apply what I’ve learned tothe new year.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
I would like people to see me as a warm and welcoming person but in reality it doesn’t matter because their impression is their perception and has nothing to do with who I really am. The impression of me would also be different based on who I am meeting, say I’m meeting a religious leader, I would be humbled and taking in their presence and any lessons offered and not ask questions unless the door was open. I think the impression of me is different for everyone I met.
I am not a fluffy person and my writing is more raw and to the facts. That in itself could be taken may different way. All I can do is be who I am and hope that people will give me grace.
Melinda
I See You, You Matter And You Are In My Thoughts
Melinda
Sending A Special Thank You To Azerbaijan, Romania, Colombia, Malawi, Gambia, And Kyrgyzstan For Visting My Blog
I get so excited when a new country visiting my blog, it feels like I’m traveling with you. Kyrgyzstan stumped me, I had to look it up. Please cliick on the link to read about the rich history of the country.
I look forward to seing you again and would love it you would leave a comment on how you found my blog.
Melinda
What ChatGPT Had To Say About My Blog
It was by accident that I found myself on ChatGPT yet it presented me with the opportunity to see what it said about my blog compared to what CoPilot summed said. Some of the findings are the same but each had a little different spin. I found it interesting it could produce a list of some of my top post and pages.
✅ What the blog is
- The blog is run by someone named Melinda. Looking for the Light+2Looking for the Light+2
- It began in 2005 under the name Defining Memories and was later relaunched / renamed to “Looking for the Light” in 2014 when the focus shifted. Looking for the Light+1
- The blog covers health & lifestyle topics: mental health, chronic illness (including Lyme disease, immune deficiency, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder), grief and caregiving, and advocacy. Looking for the Light+1
- Melinda describes herself as an “arm‑chair advocate” due to her own health constraints. Looking for the Light
- The blog also touches on travel, art, world history, world religion, ancestry, education for children, global warming, and animal abuse. Looking for the Light
🎯 Why you might like it
- If you’re interested in authentic first‑person writing about living through difficulty and finding hope/light, this blog has a strong personal voice.
- It’s not only about positive living but also about real struggles: abuse, illness, loss, caregiving. The transparency may resonate if you’re seeking depth.
- Because the author also addresses many interconnected topics (health, advocacy, lifestyle), it has breadth—not just one niche.
- The tone is quite reflective, healing‑oriented, and oriented toward finding light in dark times, which seems aligned with your phrase “looking for the light”.
📝 Things to keep in mind
- Some of the posts appear older and the blog structure may have some inconsistencies (e.g., Melinda mentions finding older posts that no longer display correctly). Looking for the Light
- Because it covers heavier topics (abuse, illness, grief) some posts may be intense or emotionally loaded.
- If you were looking for a blog about photography, spirituality only, minimalism, or travel‑only, this might have extra content beyond that. So it depends on how narrowly you meant “looking for the light”.
🔍 Quick check: Is this the blog you meant?
Here are a couple of questions you might ask to confirm:
- Is the blog lookingforthelight.blog (URL) the one you were referring to?
- Are you looking for Melinda’s blog specifically?
- Is your interest more in mental health & chronic illness topics, or were you referring to a different “looking for the light” blog (maybe spiritual, photography, etc.)?
- Do you want some of the blog’s articles (links) or a summary of the best posts?
Some of the tops post & pages
About Me – “Life is the Real Thing”
May 2022 – Suicide and Chronic Health Conditions
Book / product review (child’s picture book ‘Talk’ reference in June 2022)
Mental Health Awareness / Suicide Prevention
Recipe / memoir post (July 2024 family cookbook story)
Daily Writing Prompt – What are you passionate about?
Aromalief Has Released Two New Scents of Their Pain Relief Cream
Review of Aromalief Spearmint Hemp Pain Relief Cream
Introducing VitalField’s Pineal Detox FrequenCell
What would you add about my blog? I love to hear your feedback and while you’re leaving a comment, please tell me what topics you would like read about. I would truly appreciate it. :)
Melinda
Are You Having This Issue With WordPress? It’s Strange.
I noticed that some of my post old and new no longer have contect when I reread them. Others have spaces in the paragraphs that give some type of error message. What’s even stranger is when I go to my blog live and search for the post, the content is there.
Some post from 2014 are fine but one from 2020 was not. Is the one the many mysteries of WordPress?
I would love to hear you feedback and if have found a work around. I don’t want to lose my content over time.
Thanks so much.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
The #1 priority every day is to wake up! Once I’m blessed with a new day my priorities change, from giving myself grace, being a good wife and doggy mom. As the day goes on then daily priorities take over. Most important is waking up every day and not taking the day for granted.
Melinda
You May Have Noticed I’m Back
Many of you know I never really left because if I can type with one finger, I will take a stab at writing or at least working on a post. It’s in my blood, during childhood I kept a journal and knew then writing was in me. Anyone ready is a different story.
Thank all of you who have sent me well wishes, your words not only touch my heart, they also tell me you care.
Melinda :)
Sending a Big Thank You To Panama, Norway, Palestinian Territories, Norfork Island, Jamaica And South Africa
I get so excited when a new country visits my blog, it feels like I’m traveling with you. I had a short trip to Jamaica but we stayed at all incluive hotel and didn’t venture out. I have wanted to visit Panama for years because my Gramps was stationed at the Panama Canal after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he had good stories from being there.
I appreciate you stopping by to read my post and I hope you will visit again soon.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
I could have a good life with or without music but I would choose music. I have memories as far back as four years old listen and dancing with my dad to Elvis and Hank Williams Sr., music has been the backdrop of my life including love songs that were shared with my boyfriends. Now there are so many genres to explore that most people can identify with one or many. My favorite music is the 70’s & 80’s however I like songs for generations that were before I was born.
Fleetwood Mac – Dreams (Official Music Video)
Melinda
I’m Sending A Special Thanks To Guernsey, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, & Switzerland
Thank you for visiting my blog, I appreciated it and look forward to seeing you again.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
I didn’t have the opportunity to listen to music at work until I moved into a sales role. My days were spent driving to client meeting to client meeting so there was time to enjoy some tunes. I listened to some popular 90’s music but mostly CD’s of my favorite old Rock & Roll tunes.
I’m now retired and enjoy quite days unless my husband sends me a link to a song he thinks I’ll like. I’ve included a great tune by Bonnie Rait & Keb Mo.
Melinda
It’s My WordPress Anniversary
It’s exciting to recieve a reminder of the years I’ve been blogging, it’s something I love to do. My writing skills have improved over the years but what is most important is the connections made through my blog. Thank you for your support.
Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!
You registered on WordPress.com 16 years ago.
Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.
My first blog on WP was called Defining Memories which I started in 2005 and closed when I started Looking for the Light. It’s been a wild ride!
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
I’m blessed to have so many great memories thanks to my grandparents but one funny memory was with my gramps. He took me to the levee bottoms to teach me how to park, and he brought too big trash cans with him for me to practice with. With each attempt, I would knock a trashcan over, and gramps would patiently reset the can. After an hour we called it a day, I bet he prayed I would pass my test. I did pass but not with the highest score I’m sure.
Melinda
Sending A Special Thank You To Armenia, Oman, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Papua New Guinea And Iraq
I appreciate you stopping by my blog, your presence makes my day. As a child, I set the goal of traveling the world, it has not happened yet but I get a small feeling of traveling with each country that visits my blog.
I hope to see you again soon.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
The greatest thing happened to me this morning, I woke up! Every day I wake is a blessed day.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
That’s a good question because there are times when my passion changes, like learning something new. My neverending passions are photography, my houseplants, traveling, and our dogs. As I’ve aged my passions are less adventuresome but I have the greatest memories of diving, hiking, and traveling internationally.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
The tagline on my blog was Keep Moving Forward and that describes my general thought process. If we don’t move forward we stop growing and become stagnant.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Daily writing prompt
What are the most important things needed to live a good life?
When I was much younger, having a good life meant money and material things but those things did not make my life a good one. After turning 40 years old, I realized what is most important to me. Family tops the list followed by being kind, trustworthy, follow through on commitments, and being grateful for what I have.
I have a great life now instead of a shallow one.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
My husband retired in April and we see each other all day but if you count the hours I probably spend more time with the dogs. It’s not always intentional, they think I’m a snack machine and come into my office asking for them throughout the day.
Our dogs are like children and they can be clingy.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Yes, I have several collections:
Cameras
Books
Art
Antique furniture
Antique photos
Houseplants
I have more than I can enjoy in a week. The houseplants, probably up to 35 now, take dedicated time twice a week.
Melinda
My New Pathetic Spammer-Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon Whiskey
bourbonwhiskeysforsale@gmail.com
129.0.125.129
Who would dare click on their links?
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Without a doubt, it would be a test driver for high-end cars that go super fast. It’s not on my bucket list but is worthy. The downside is that I don’t know how to drive a standard and you won’t find those types of cars in an automatic.
Melinda
Sending A Special Thank You To Poland, Honduras, Moldova, Zimbabwe, Somalia And Qatar
Thank you for visiting my blog and allowing me to travel with you. I have not visited your country but there’s always tomorrow.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Boy, do topics change at every stage in life. A few topics that get me engaged are art, travel, and gardening.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
At 40 years old and divorced, I took a chance on getting married again. I felt strongly that he was the one who would stay until the end. 22 years later, we’re going strong and closer than ever. No regrets for me.
Melinda
Croatia’s Slended Giant Easter Egg Tradition-The Connection of Eggs And Bunnies With Celebrating Easter By Guest Blogger Croatia, the War, and the Future
Daily Writing Prompt
Coffee
Melinda
lookingforthelight.blog 