Happy First Blogiversary to Us and a Thank You to You

Call it a birthday or anniversary or anything else you like, but the point, of course, is that it was a year ago today that this blog and several others here at Change.org launched. Of course, if you mosey through the first pages of the blog, you'll see posts dated before October 8, but that's because the work and writing started before the site went live, so that you'd have some good background reading upon launch.

The traffic on the Animal Rights blog has grown dramatically since that first month, as has -- from my perspective at least -- the sense of community here. Along with some really wonderful periodic guest bloggers, I've had a lot to say over the course of 600-plus posts, and you've had a lot to say in return (a folder in my inbox is home to well over 9,000 comment notifications from this blog, and you've sent me more messages, both on and off the site, than I could possibly respond to, though I hope you know that I've read and wanted to respond to every single one). The conversations haven't always been sunshine and flowers, but even when they've been challenging, they've often also been thought-provoking, for me as well as, I hope, for you.

Of all the comments, messages, and compliments that you the readers and community members have submitted, there is one category that I wish I would have been saving in a special folder as we went along over the last year -- dozens and dozens and dozens have left notes about learning something here that they didn't know before and about changing the way they live (and eat) because of it. And every person who has gone vegan after participating here -- and who has decided to protest circuses rather than attend them or to adopt a dog instead of buy or to switch his or her donations and purchases to charities and companies that don't experiment on animals -- has constituted an enormous, beautiful victory for our fellow animals and has been a part of what keeps me personally going.

And dear community members, both those who've been here since the beginning and those who are relatively new here, please know that many of the hearts, minds, and lives changed over the last year have resulted from your participation here. Comment threads can sometimes get heated and even ugly on occasion, but I've also had the pleasure of watching many of you reach out to each other, answer each other's questions, offer each other support, and disagree with and educate each other politely, respectfully, and with compassion. And you have been supportive not only of each other, but also of me, in ways and and at times for which I owe you great thanks. You have broadened my perspectives and given me knowledge I didn't yet have, and you have provided remarkably kind moral support while I daily write (and read) on topics that can be terribly draining, depressing, and even crushing.

There may some changes afoot here soon, including hopefully some positive, exciting ones, but for now I will just say thank you, kind readers, for the last year. I admittedly feel older and much more tired now than I did a year ago, but I also feel better educated, more confident about this fight we're fighting, and more connected to what really is a beautiful, diverse, compassionate community. I'll close just by directing you to the welcome/introductory post I wrote a year ago today -- it remains relevant. Welcome back, for our second year.

Photo of vegan birthday cake at top by Flickr user QuintanaRoo

Photo of the by-now-familiar pig whose face you see daily here uploaded by datarec at stock.xchng